In Its Place
by YJTuttle
Summary: A place for everything and everything in its place. That's the way the universe likes things. Unfortunately, Robin isn't where he's supposed to be. Sequel to "The Flying Grayson".
1. Strange Occurences

Hello everyone!

As promised, this is the sequel to "The Flying Grayson". It's still a work in progress, but I'm so excited about it, I can't wait to finish it before I start posting!

This will probably be the most complicated story I've ever attempted to write, with plots and subplots and all that. Hopefully it'll all work out- let me know one way or the other. A gal can always use some constructive criticism along with fluffy feedback.

I don't own Young Justice, although I'm not going to lie- that would be stupendous!

Anyway, enjoy the show!

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><p>Earth 4077<p>

Metropolis

20:43

It started with a tree; no one really noticed. One minute, it was alive and green, the next, dead and broken.

Other little changes followed, always at the same time, always in the same general area- a large park area in Metropolis with a big, empty field, usually used for fairs or circuses. A patch of grass was replaced with a sheet of ice, a whirlwind of dust came out of nowhere and just as quickly died away, a flock of birds suddenly appeared in the sky where a moment before, there had been none.

Always, the strange occurrences were accompanied by a small wave of energy. Too small to even be picked up by the Justice League's monitors in space.

Tonight, however, was different.

The park was buzzing with activity. A group of youth had started an informal football game which had eventually turned into nothing more than a good-natured brawl. A few couples were out for a stroll, taking advantage of the warm summer night. A family was just packing up their belongings after a late dinner picnic. None of them knew that at that moment, the Justice League Watchtower picked up on a huge burst of energy in the area. Everyone, however, did hear the loud crack that filled the air, like thunder.

A ball of white light suddenly appeared in the midst of the youth, causing them to all back away quickly. The light slowly faded to reveal a man in a black costume with a white lightning bolt on the front. He had snow white skin that faintly glowed and a shock of blue hair. He looked confused for a second, looking down at his hands before turning his attention to the now-frightened crowd. Turning even more, he caught a glimpse at the city peeking over the tree-line.

"Metropolis?" he whispered to himself before turning to one of the kids. "Is this Metropolis?"

"Uh… Uh-huh," the kid answered, nodding vigorously and backing away.

The man smirked. "Perfect."


	2. Breakfast Contemplations

Mary Grayson hummed quietly to herself as she pushed the scrambled eggs around in the frying pan. The faint glow of the still rising sun touched the passed through the trailer's window and a few birds were starting to sing. She almost didn't want to ruin the peace. But they had a show the next night, and there was plenty they still needed to practice.

"Boys! Time to get up!" she called over her shoulder.

Nothing.

Smirking, Mary grabbed a piece of bacon and threw it into another skillet. It crackled and popped and soon, its tantalizing smell filled the trailer. "I don't want to have to eat this all myself!"

That got a reaction. She heard the muffled sounds of two boys scrambling out of bed. There was a thud or two and a few grunts as both boys tried to get through the doorway at the same time.

Eventually, they both pushed through and stumbled into the kitchen. Mary almost giggled at their appearance. Both were bleary eyed and half-awake, their raven black hair sticking up every which way. Dick yawned loudly and rubbed his eyes. Robin just breathed in deeply and then sighed happily.

"Morning, sleepy heads," Mary greeted. "Sleep well?"

"Like a log," Dick replied as he stretched and yawned again. Robin just made an affirmative noise before settling into the bench at the table.

"Glad to hear it," Mary replied as she grabbed four plates from the cupboard above her head. "John, time for you to get up too!" she called.

There was another thud and a moment later, her groggy husband stumbled into the room, rubbing at his face. He shook his head slightly before coming up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Morning," he mumbled sleepily as he kissed her neck.

"Morning," she echoed, turning in his arms to kiss him deeply. Behind them, the boys made gagging sounds. Breaking away, she looked over her husband's shoulder and arched an eyebrow. "Oh stop! How do you think you got here?"

"Inter-dimensional portal," Robin dead-panned. He looked up at her and smirked, causing Mary to roll her eyes.

"I came from the cabbage patch!" Dick piped in.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure we got you at J-Mart. Green light special," John replied with a grin. Dick squawked in protest, making his parents laugh. John gave Mary one last little kiss before pulling away and joining their sons at the table.

"You know, one day you won't think kissing is so gross," Mary warned as she scooped out their breakfasts and settled in at the table.

Dick shuddered. "Gross," he muttered.

Robin smirked and elbowed his side. Dick gave him a strange look. Robin just smirked and coughed. "Raya." He coughed again and thumped his chest. "'Scuse me."

Dick paled, then blushed furiously. John lit up and leaned forward. "What's this?"

"Nothing!" Dick cried before shoving a forkful of food into his mouth.

"Robin?" John questioned.

Robin just shrugged, but the smirk lingered. John chuckled and shook his head. "All right, all right, I'll mind my own business." He shared a knowing look with Mary.

Mary giggled but quickly covered it with a cough when Dick scowled at her. There was a moment of silence before Mary could no longer help herself. "Raya's a very nice girl."

Dick groaned and covered his face. "Mom!"

"I'm just saying," Mary said.

Dick glared at Robin. "I hate you. So much."

Robin just smirked. "Right back at you," he sniggered, elbowing Dick again.

Dick growled and looked down at his plate, ignoring everyone's snickering.

John gave one last snort before turning his attention to his paper. Robin grinned like a Cheshire cat but didn't continue his teasing. At least for now. Mary had no doubt that Robin was going to drive Dick crazy later. But she supposed that was what brothers were for.

As she often had over the last six months, Mary took a moment to study the boys across from her. Technically, they were the same person- Robin was Dick Grayson from another dimension who had, through a series of very unusual events, come to live with them. Everyone at the circus knew bits and pieces of the story and had all welcomed him with open arms. To the outside world, Robin and Dick were passed off as identical twins who, up until that point, had never performed together, each taking a bit of the load so as not to tire out. It worked, and no one really questioned when the previous trio turned into a quartet of Flying Graysons.

Most people, even those in the circus, still had a hard time telling them apart, but to Mary, they were as different as night and day.

Robin was scarred, in more ways than one. There were physical scars- horrible, jagged lines that marred his skin. He never spoke about them, just covered them up with make-up, leaving it to Mary's imagination to come up with the reasons. She knew that on his world, he had been Batman's partner, a vigilante on the cold streets of Gotham. Every time she thought about it- about her little boy turning into that- Mary couldn't help but shudder. What evils had he faced? What horrific scenes had he witnessed as he took on the many villains that ran loose in that dark city?

There were other scars, deeper, uglier, on his soul. He tried to hide them too with a quick joke or an easy smile. But they were there and Mary couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt when she thought about them, about what had caused them.

There were times when he would wake in a cold sweat, crying out for them. Always when that happened, Mary or John would rush in and hold him, wrap him in a hug and tell him that everything was all right. Of course, it wasn't really. Despite his new, alternate home, nothing could erase the memory of watching his parents fall to their deaths. Despite having Mary and John, alternate versions of his parents, his real parents were dead and nothing would ever bring them back. This was one scar that would stay with him for the rest of his life.

Other nights, he would have a nightmare and call out for Batman or Bruce. Those nights were the most heartbreaking because there was no way to comfort him. They couldn't say that Batman was all right, either in this world or his own.

Mary would forever be grateful to the Bruce Wayne of Robin's world for taking him in, for caring for him. But sometimes she hated him; hated him for pitting her son against the most heinous criminals, hated him for exposing him to things that no one, especially a traumatized child, should see. Robin was still wary around the many clowns at the circus. When Mary had asked him about it, he had mumbled something about the Joker and had left it at that. Mary knew enough about the Joker to have her own nightmares after that.

It had taken Mary a good four months to get Robin on a regular sleeping schedule. For the first few weeks, it was like he simply refused to go to sleep at all, as if he would wake up and find himself back in his old world. He eventually got over that a bit, but then he had spent many nights awake just for the sake of being awake, pacing the small trailer or simply disappearing. More than once, Mary had been woken in the night by sounds, only to go outside and find Robin sitting on the roof, looking out towards whatever city they were close to, like he wanted nothing more than to go and fly through the streets, stopping criminals in their tracks. He was much better now, though he still went to bed a little later than the rest of them.

Despite all his scars, Robin was remarkably bright and cheerful. He smiled freely- genuinely happy smiles that lit up a whole room. He laughed and joked and otherwise behaved like a normal fourteen year old boy. Though he had hesitated at first, probably fearful that this was all too good to be true, he had formed close friendships with the other children in the circus. Especially with Dick. The two had become inseparable- though they spent just as much time annoying each other as they did having fun.

As for Mary, she couldn't imagine life without him now. She loved him just as fiercely as she loved Dick and John. She would do anything to protect him, to keep him safe and secure. She didn't want to add to his scars. And maybe, one day, most of his scars would fade and he would forget about being Robin the Vigilante and just be Robin the Flying Grayson.

Robin seemed to notice Mary's thoughtful gaze- he noticed everything- and shifted slightly. "Mama? You all right?"

"Hmmm? Oh, yes. Just thinking."

He didn't ask about what. He already knew.

"Awful," John muttered.

Mary's eyes widened and she smacked him on the arm. "Excuse me?"

John bolted upright and looked at her in confusion. Robin and Dick snickered. "What? Oh, no. Not- the paper, Mary!" John exclaimed, hitting the paper.

"I should hope so!"

"Promise. I meant the paper."

"What's so awful then?" Mary asked.

John gestured to the paper. "Seems all these people were murdered in Metropolis the other day. All electrocuted somehow at the park."

Robin perked up. "Electrocuted? Was it Livewire?"

John scanned the paper. "They don't think so. Livewire is locked up at Belle Reve. Superman's investigating, but they haven't caught anyone yet."

"And they're sure it's murder? Not some freak accident?" Robin questioned. John shrugged and started to hand the paper over, but Mary rested her hand on his, stopping him.

"That's enough of that," Mary said firmly. Robin was an aerialist, not a vigilante. He didn't need to get involved in it. "We only have one day until the show and we all need to practice. Now, finish up your breakfast and let's head out."

Robin slumped back in his seat, but gave her a small smile to let her know he wasn't too put out.

"Mama?" Dick asked after a moment of silence.

"Yes?"

"Well, I know we have a show, but… you think Rob and I can skip afternoon practice and hang out with the gang?"

"And do what?" John asked.

Dick shrugged. "We're in Gotham. Robin says he knows a few great places to eat and hang out."

John and Mary shared a doubtful look. Gotham wasn't exactly the safest place in the world. Robin, of all people, should've known that.

"It's not so bad in the daytime," Robin said quickly as if reading their thoughts. "You just have to know which places to avoid. You're safe in Gotham as long as you use common sense. If we all stick together, we'll be just fine. We'll practice all day tomorrow. Please?"

Both boys leaned forward, opening their baby blue eyes as wide as they could go. It had been bad enough when there was only Dick to pull that on her, but having two of them giving her puppy eyes…

Mary groaned and looked to John for support. But he was just as much of a sucker. There was no hope for either of them when Robin's lips started to quiver.

"Oh for pity sakes!" John exclaimed. "Yes. You can go. But! You have to stick together. And you have to call us every hour, on the hour."

"Yes!" Dick and Robin high-fived each other. Quickly, they shovelled the rest of their food in their mouths and raced away from the table and out of the trailer.

Mary shot her husband a look. "You're pathetic, you know that?"

"You were about to give in too," John replied. "They'll be fine. If nothing else, Robin could kick any thug's trash before they had a chance to do anything."

Mary smiled weakly. "I know." That was what worried her.


	3. A Moment with Superman and Batman

Superman heaved a weary sigh as he stepped into the Watchtower's monitor room. Batman, sitting at the computer, looked over his shoulder and nodded a hello.

"You wanted to see me?" Superman asked as he sank into his seat.

"Any luck on your investigation?" Batman asked.

Superman leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Not yet. I've been looking all over the city for clues. Lois is grilling every snitch that could possibly know anything. It looks like the work of Livewire, but she's locked up at Belle Reve. One of the survivors woke up a while ago, but we haven't been able to talk to her yet." He sighed and straightened, flopping his head back against the chair. "I almost wish there would be another occurrence, but there's been nothing yet." He looked over at Batman. "I'm assuming you have something?"

"Plenty." Batman pulled up a window on the screen.

"A police report?" Superman asked.

Batman nodded. "The press wasn't allowed to talk to the victim, but the police have already taken her statement. Surprised they didn't hand the information on to you."

The last comment was supposed to be a jab against him, but Superman ignored it. "I've been a little busy." Batman arched an eyebrow. "Volcano in Washington State," he explained. Unlike Batman, Superman couldn't afford to be doggedly focussed on one thing at a time.

"A job for Superman," Batman replied. "Anyway, the victim indicated the attacker looked like Livewire but was male."

Superman arched an eyebrow curiously. "So what are we dealing with? Where did he come from?"

"Look here," Batman said as he pulled up another window.

Superman got to his feet and looked at the screen closely. "An inter-dimensional portal?"

"Watchtower picked up on it right before the attack," Batman confirmed.

"You think this guy was an alternate version of Livewire?" Superman asked. Batman nodded. Superman thought about it for a moment. "So what's he doing here?"

"You'll have to find him and ask."

"Right. Could be just a fluke- it's happened before when people have been sucked into other dimensions."

"Or he could have a reason and did it on purpose."

"Well, like you said, we'll have to find him and ask." Superman turned to leave, but stopped mid-step. "You know… this happened in the same area that… you remember that circus that was in town about six months ago. There was an inter-dimensional incident then, remember?"

Batman grunted. "I remember. But I've already checked it out. The energy signature six months ago had magical properties. This one was caused by something else."

"Hmm. Well, if you find anything else, let me know."

"Obviously."

"Obviously," Superman echoed, rolling his eyes. "And if you need any help ever in Gotham-" Batman turned and glared at him, effectively cutting him off. "Right. Well… happy Dark Knighting. Be careful."

"I'll get the necessary equipment together to send this creep back to wherever he came from."

Superman grinned. That was Batman's slightly stupid way of saying he had his back. "Later, Bruce. And don't work too hard. All work and no play-"

"Good-bye, Clark."


	4. Fun Times at the Mall

Another chapter! Yay! Thanks to all for your kind reviews!

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><p>Robin and Dick managed to talk Pop Haley into letting them borrow an old pick-up truck to take them into town. Dick, Robin and Raya all squished in beside the fourth person in their group. Henri, a knife thrower, was the only one legally able to drive but hadn't had much experience unlike Robin, who had offered to take over for him once they left the circus. No one really took him seriously even though he insisted he had had his own motorcycle back on his world.<p>

He wished they had. He had been through some terrifying experiences before, but nothing quite compared with a new driver trying to negotiate Gotham traffic. They barely made it through alive, but eventually, they arrived at the mall in one piece.

"Oh my! This place is huge!" Raya said in excitement. "I hope we don't get lost!"

"Just stay close," Dick instructed. Raya twittered and slid up next to him, hooking her arm through his. Robin sniggered when his brother blushed.

"So what do we do first?" Henri asked in his thick French accent, gawking a little at the size of the place.

Robin shrugged. Truthfully, he didn't care what they did. He had just needed to get away from the circus for a while. Just being there while in Gotham made him uneasy. After all, the last time the circus had been in Gotham, his parents had been murdered.

But beside that, he just missed being a part of Gotham. He missed being amongst the people, the hustle and bustle, the dirt and the grime. Gotham was a part of him and, at one time, in another world, he had been a part of her.

True, the mall wasn't exactly the kind of Gotham scene he was use to, but it wasn't like he could go swinging off the Gotham rooftops anymore. He had to content himself with this.

"I wish we had money to spend," Raya said after a while of window shopping.

"Pfft, you don't go to the mall to shop," Robin said. Raya gave him a funny look.

"Then why do you go?" Henri asked, just as confused.

Robin grinned. "You go to people watch!" he exclaimed. He motioned them all towards a bench.

"People watch?" Dick repeated.

"Yeah. It's easy. See, look over there." They all looked towards a couple who were arguing about something outside one of the shops. "She's mad at him because he doesn't want to visit her parents on the weekend. What she doesn't know is that he doesn't want to spend the weekend there because he and her mother are embroiled in a secret love affair and he doesn't think he could control himself."

"How do you know that?" Raya asked, eyes wide with surprise.

Robin laughed. "I don't. When you people watch, you just make up crazy life stories. Go ahead, try it."

Raya laughed. "Oh, I see. Okay… Hmmm… Oh! Look at that guy over there. The one with the pink hair by the jewellery store! He… umm… He was going to dye his hair black in order to look like…"

"Taylor Lawyer," Dick supplied when she faltered.

"Right! Because he wanted to impress a girl. But he didn't read the bottle and ended up dying it pink. But… but pink is her favourite color, so she thought that's why he did it and now… they're getting married and he's picking out an engagement ring!"

The other three laughed. "Sounds right to me," Dick said with a wink.

"My turn!" Henri exclaimed. "The security guard over there. He is not really a security guard."

"So what is he?" Dick prompted when Henri didn't continue.

"Oh… Right. He is really a criminal. And he is… what is it… casing the joint?" He looked to Robin for confirmation.

Robin nodded. "Because he wants to rob the place, right?"

"Yes. That is right; he wants to rob the place." Henri nodded in satisfaction.

"Well, all right, my turn, but I don't know if I can top that one," Dick teased. Henri scrunched his nose and stuck his tongue out at him. Dick just laughed that great infectious laugh he had. The others joined him. "Okay… Ummm… Oh, see that girl over there with her friends? The redhead." They all looked to where he was pointing. "Well today, she found out-"

Robin's world suddenly stopped. He tuned Dick out, his heart jumping into his throat. "Babs."

"Adopted- what?" Dick stopped mid-sentence and looked over at him. "Who?"

"I… It's Babs. Barbara Gordon," he clarified only to be met with blank stares. He shifted uncomfortably. "Commissioner Gordon's daughter. I know her… She's… was… we… went to school together," he finished lamely.

Dick grinned broadly. "Uh-huh. Go on."

Robin shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "We were friends." He ignored Dick's smirk and turned his attention back to Babs. She looked just like his Barbara. The thought made his chest tighten as he realized just how much he had missed her. And, now that he was thinking about the people his missed, how much he wanted to see Alfred and Bruce and Wally and-

"Well, go up and say hello!" Raya urged, pushing him off the bench.

Robin stumbled forward but immediately backed up. "And say what? 'Hi, I'm your best friend from an alternate dimension and I-'"

"No, just… Go say hello. Use the Grayson charm," Dick said, giving Raya a little smile.

"Works every time," Raya giggled, winking at Dick. Robin rolled his eyes. Those two were disgusting.

"I did not know superheroes were such chickens!" Henri taunted good-naturedly.

"I'm not a superhero," Robin grumbled. Not anymore, anyway.

"Ah, just go," Dick said. "Want me to come with you? Hold your hand?" he teased.

Robin turned a Bat-glare on him. Dick remained unfazed, grinning broadly. "Jerk," Robin grumbled, making Dick's grin grow wider. "Fine." Taking a deep breath, Robin stood up straight and strode over to the group of girls. But when he got there, his bravery fled, especially when they noticed him and looked at him expectantly. "Uh… hi."

"Hi," Barbara replied, sizing him up warily. One her friends, who Robin recognized as Bette Kane, eyed him contemptuously. The others just watched him strangely. One even giggled.

"I, uh…" There were a thousand things he could've said if she were his Babs. He could ask how school was; ask if she aced her math exam. He could tease her about being a computer nerd. Something, anything. But this girl didn't know him from a hole in the wall. They weren't best friends here.

Realizing that they were growing increasingly bored, Robin straightened and plastered an award-winning smile on his face. Time to pull out a Wally-ism. "Name's Robin. And I couldn't help but notice that you're the best looking girl I've seen all day."

Babs groaned and rolled her eyes, while her friends giggled. "Thanks. And good-bye." And with that, she turned on her heel and walked off, her friends following behind.

"Come on Babs, he's really, really cute!" he heard one of them say before they disappeared into the crowd.

Robin slumped in defeat. "Idiot."

Dick came up behind him and clapped his hand on his shoulder. "Ouch."

"Shut up."

"That was… a good try," Raya said sweetly.

Robin sighed. "It doesn't matter," he mumbled. They had been friends, but in another life, another world. He didn't need her here, anyhow. He had his family and new friends. And he was happy with that. "Come on, let's-"

He was cut off by the sound of a gun going off, followed by several screams. Robin immediately shifted into a fighting stance as the crowd rushed in several different directions. Raya gasped and grabbed onto Dick. "Look!"

Robin followed her finger, eyes growing wide in shock. The security guard that Henri had pointed out earlier was holding Barbara by her hair, a gun to her head. Bette was on the ground, her cheek bleeding. Barbara's other friends were nowhere to be seen.

Another security guard, a real one, rushed forward gun drawn and aimed at the impostor. "Let her go!" he demanded.

The fake security guard smirked. "Don't think so. I don't take orders from dead men."

The security guard cocked his head slightly in confusion. He opened his mouth to say something, but didn't get a chance as an arrow came out of nowhere, lodging itself into his throat. The security guard made a gurgling sound before falling over. Robin looked up to see someone standing on the railing above them.

"Artemis," he breathed, recognizing the archer.

What was she doing? She wasn't a bad guy. At least, not on his world. But here, he supposed anything went. Still, it was unsettling to see his former team mate standing above them, ready to fire an arrow with deadly accuracy should anyone try to interfere.

"Robin, what are we going to do?" Raya whispered fearfully.

"Dick, get them out of here," Robin instructed as he backed up.

"What about you?" Dick hissed, grabbing Robin's arm.

"I handled creeps like these everyday. Don't worry about me," Robin assured him. "Now get before he decides to shoot randomly." Robin pushed them away. Dick grabbed Raya's hand and pulled her around the corner, Henri following closely behind. Dick slipped into one of the shops and watched.

"All right now folks, just everyone calm down. All we want is Miss Gordon here," the fake security guard, who Robin recognized as Sportsmaster, said easily. "You all just mind your own and no one will get hurt. And no phones." To emphasize his point, Artemis shot off an arrow, sending it straight through someone's phone. "No one needs to be a hero. Why don't you all just sit… Now."

Everyone who hadn't managed to get out of the area obediently sat on the ground. Sportsmaster pulled at Barbara's hair. "Come on," he growled. Barbara struggled against him, clawing at his arms in an attempt to get away.

Even though he had been a civilian for six months, there were some things about his former life that never left Robin. For instance, he still could recite all of the things Batman had taught him- and right at the top of the list was to never leave home without his utility belt. Of course, there was no reason to have it here, in this world, but it lent him a bit of comfort, like a security blanket or something. And it was still fully stocked.

He pulled it out and hooked it around his waist. It was a familiar weight that he hadn't realized he had missed until now.

"You know, I don't think Commissioner Gordon would appreciate you treating his little girl like that," Robin said as he stepped out of the shop.

Sportsmaster stopped and looked at him in amusement. "Probably not. Now mind your own business, child."

"I don't take orders from dead men," Robin said, echoing Sportsmaster earlier statement. "And that's exactly what you're going to be unless you let her go."

Sportsmaster snorted in derision. "Really? And who's going to stop me? You?"

Robin smirked and threw a smoke pellet at him. Smoke instantly burst up in a cloud, causing Sportsmaster to stumble backwards, coughing.

He sensed rather than knew Artemis had fired at him and flipped to the side, dodging an arrow. It hit the ground harmlessly. Robin jumped up and twisted, throwing a birdarang at her. It struck the railing before exploding. Artemis cried out as the force sent her flying into the air. Robin ran up to the wall and jumped off against it, catching her midair. He brought her close and landed in a roll. When they came to a stop, he let go of her and slammed her head into the ground, knocking her out. He felt a stab of guilt but pushed it aside reminding himself that she was a bad guy who wouldn't think twice about skewering him with an arrow.

Robin whirled around to face Sportsmaster who had recovered from the smoke. "Who are you?" the man growled. "What are you?"

"I'm the guy who's going to kick your trash unless you let her go," Robin growled.

"Is that so?" Sportsmaster pulled Barbara closer to him, shoving the gun into her cheek. "Well I'm the guy who's going to blow her head off if you take one more step." Robin narrowed his eyes, but made no attempt to move. Barbara looked at him fearfully. "That's better. Now, that fancy belt you're wearing? Put it on the ground." Robin obediently unfastened his belt, took it off, and dropped it. "Very good." Sportsmaster grinned evilly and turned his gun on Robin. "Say goodnight, Gracie."

"Goodnight, Gracie!"

A knife flew out of nowhere and knocked the gun out of Sportsmaster's hand. The gun went off, the bullet harmlessly slamming into a pillar. Another knife struck Sportsmaster's shoulder. Robin whirled around to see Henri, another knife in his hand. "What? I never leave home without them!" Henri explained with a smirk.

Sportsmaster roared in rage and threw Barbara to the ground before pulling out a baseball. Of course, Robin knew it was no ordinary baseball- it would explode on impact.

"Hey, ugly!"

Suddenly, Dick came crashing down on Sportsmaster's shoulders, bringing him to the ground. Dick rolled off him awkwardly but quickly recovered and sprung up onto his hands and cart wheeled to Robin's side.

"Thanks," Robin said. Dick just grinned, looking like cat that had swallowed the canary. Which was stupid. Henri and Dick could very well get themselves killed trying to play hero. After all, this wasn't a game. But Robin would have to scold them later. The best way to keep them safe was to end this quickly. He already had the upper-hand. Sportsmaster had no idea who he was and what he was capable of.

Robin dispensed a pellet from his belt and tossed it at the criminal. It went off with a bang before a gooey substance encased him. With his arms and legs unable to move, Sportsmaster was helpless to ward off Robin's attack as he jumped into the air and landed lightly on his shoulder, kicking him in the side of the head before leaping upwards again. Sportsmaster fell to the ground and Robin brought his fists down on his face. The criminal grunted, then fell still.

From the ground, Barbara looked up, her mouth hanging open in shock. "Who are you?" she managed.

"Just a concerned citizen," Robin said nonchalantly as he grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. "You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she said with a shaky voice.

"Good." Robin pulled out a pair of handcuffs tossed them to Dick and nodded towards Artemis before taking Barbara's hand again and leading her to a bench. "Mall security should be showing up pretty quick here," he explained. "Your dad shouldn't be too far behind with the GPD. You going to be okay til then?" Barbara nodded dumbly. "Good." He shifted awkwardly. He wanted to stay with her, but there was no way he was going to hang around and let the police question him about the incident. "Well… I guess I'll see you." And with that, he turned and ran off, grabbing Dick and Henri as he went. They quickly met up with Raya who was standing out of the way around the corner.

"Wow, what a rush!" Dick exclaimed as they ran as fast as they could from the scene.

Robin remained prudently silent, trying to push down the sense of homesickness he suddenly felt.


	5. Home Is Where the Heart Is

Usually, when I write, I can hear the characters in my head (I know, creepy, right?). It makes their dialogue a whole lot easier and, in my opinion, very natural.

Today, however, I spent most of the morning watching BBC's "Wives and Daughters" and so now everything in my head kind of has a Victorian English accent to it. So if the dialogue and writing seem a little off, I'm blaming it on that.

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><p>Robin sat quietly on the way home. It had quickly been decided that the events of the mall should be kept secret between all them. None of them wanted to be banned from venturing into town again and Robin especially didn't need anyone to fuss over him. Or worse, scold him for putting his friends in danger.<p>

The others, sensing his mood, stayed quiet as well, though Robin could tell that Dick was practically bursting with excitement. He had to smile slightly at that. He could remember the first time he had helped Batman take down a criminal. It had been thrilling and rewarding- especially when Batman had told him he had done a good job.

But those days were behind him.

Robin shifted in his seat, feeling a tightness in his chest. He wished it would go away; there was no good reason for it.

For the first time in a long time, he had everything he ever wanted. He had everything he had ever dreamed of having. He had his parents again. He was a Flying Grayson, with swarms of fans cheering him on night after night as he performed death-defying stunts. And he had gained a brother, who he loved more than anything.

It had not been an easy decision, all those months ago, when he had walked away from his friends and former life to embrace this new existence. But it had been the right one. He knew that. Despite this momentary homesickness, despite missing his friends and family and fighting crime and making a difference in the world, Robin was happy here. Happier than he had ever been, except before his parents had died so many years ago.

As soon as the truck came to a stop at the circus grounds, Robin sprinted out of the cab and rushed into his trailer. Mom was sitting at the table, repairing a rip in one of their uniforms. She turned in her chair as the door flung open and was about to say something when Robin flew into her arms, hugging her fiercely. She hesitated for a moment before hugging him back.

"Robin? What's wrong?"

Robin buried his face into her shoulder and breathed deeply, soaking in her scent and warmth. "Nothing," he mumbled. "I just wanted to say I love you."

Mom laughed lightly. It was music to his ears. He would never get over how much he had missed her and how grateful he was to have her again. "I love you too." She hugged him a bit tighter before cupping his cheek and turning his face to meet hers. She arched an eyebrow in amusement. "Now, what sort of trouble did you get into?" she accused with a little smirk.

"Can't a boy say he loves his mama without her thinking he's in trouble?"

"No. Now, spill."

Robin laughed. "Nothing, I promise. But if Dick is in a bad mood about Raya, I had nothing to do with it," he said, feeling only a little guilty of the misleading comment used to placate her suspicions.

Mom chuckled and kissed his forehead. "You be nice to him. One day, the shoe might be on the other foot."

Robin scrunched his nose. "Maybe." He cast a glance towards the uniform. "Want me to finish that? I used to help Alfred when our uniforms needed stitched up. Or even when we-" he cut himself off when his mother paled slightly. "Never mind. So?"

Mom smiled softly. "Sure, knock yourself out," she said as she handed over her project. "I'll fix up a quick snack; we have to go practice in about half an hour. Your father is setting up the rigging."

She ruffled his hair before getting up. As she rooted around the cupboards she hummed softly to herself. Robin closed his eyes momentarily, listening to the melody before going to work on the uniform.

Yes, he missed his former life. But here, he was home.

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><p>Up next, Batman does a little investigating...<p> 


	6. A Promise to Be Nice

Sorry for the delay in updating. Christmas was wonderful, but busy. And then my computer decided to crash and die. Oh well...

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><p>Though the mall was deserted and dark, with no one around, Batman stayed in the shadows. The police, incompetent as usual, hadn't done much of an investigation into the events of the afternoon. It had been an open and shut case as far as they were concerned. Sportsmaster and his daughter had been apprehended, Barbara Gordon was safe and that was all they thought mattered. And while that might have been good enough for them, Batman wanted answers. More particularly, answers about who had stopped the kidnapping.<p>

Eyewitnesses had said it was just a kid and his friends. But Batman rarely trusted eyewitnesses. Besides, there was no way some random kid could take down Sportsmaster.

Silently, Batman slipped through the shadows until he came to the mall's security station. He easily picked the lock and slipped inside and made his way to the monitor room. A guard sat in front of a large screen, his feet propped up on the desk and chin resting on his chest. He snored loudly, assuring Batman that the man was asleep. Batman rolled his eyes. Pathetic.

Working around the guard, who remained blissfully undisturbed, Batman started going through the security footage. It didn't take long to find what he was looking for.

A frown crossed his features as he watched. So it really had been just some kid who had stopped Sportsmaster. But who was he? Batman narrowed his eyes as he replayed the footage again. And just where had he gotten a hold of that kind of equipment? As far as he knew, most kids, even Gotham-ites, didn't run around with smoke and foam pellets never mind explosive throwing discs. Which meant this kid was either sent specifically to stop Sportsmaster, or he was some new self-appointed vigilante with vast resources- the kind of resources that Batman himself had.

Batman's frown deepened at that thought. If there was one thing he didn't need, it was some rookie thinking he could take on Gotham criminals. It was a good way to get killed.

Unfortunately, none of the cameras had caught a good image of the kid's face. From what Batman could see, the kid was about thirteen, with dark hair and an extremely fit physique. The way he flipped through the air was impressive to say the least. So some sort of athlete. There was another kid, about the same size and shape who had landed on Sportsmaster, bringing him to the ground. Twins? Possibly. That would definitely narrow down the search. Another kid was with them who was really good with throwing knives. Not exactly a common skill amongst the average teenager. But perfectly normal for a group of cricus children, he mused.

Beside him, the guard snored loudly and shifted in his seat. Batman waited a moment, but the guard stayed asleep. Taking out a batarang, Batman lodged it into the computer console, catching the guard's trousers. That would give the guy something to think about next time he wanted to sleep on the job.

Without a sound, Batman exited the security station and made his way to the scene of the crime. The police had done a shoddy job of keeping the area secured. They had probably gathered the least amount of evidence and had opened it back up to the public. Most of the evidence they had left would've been destroyed by now. Still, to be thorough Batman took out his mini-light and scanned the area that Sportsmaster had been incapacitated.

There. A small glob of foam was still on the ground. Batman took out a swab and mopped it up before tucking the evidence into his belt. Casting a glance upwards, Batman looked at where the railing above had exploded. Pulling out his grappling hook, Batman shot out a line and swooped upwards onto the upper level. Shining his flashlight around the area, he caught a glint of a something shiny. A tiny shard of metal was nestled into the wall. Batman plucked it out with a pair a tweezers and dropped it into a plastic bag.

Batman continued to comb the area for evidence but found very little to go on. He'd have to settle with what he had.

With a little nod towards the security camera, Batman melted back into the shadows.

* * *

><p>"Master Bruce, I thought perhaps you would like some coffee."<p>

Batman didn't look up, instead keeping his eyes to his microscope. With one hand he typed something into his computer while waving dismissively towards his butler with the other.

The older man grunted and set the tray he was carrying down on the computer console. "Perhaps I should rephrase that: Master Bruce, have some coffee." And with that, Alfred grabbed Batman's wrist and shoved a cup of coffee into his hand. Batman growled but pulled away from his work anyway and took a sip. "That wasn't too hard, now was it?"

"I'll survive," Batman dead-paned. He motioned towards the microscope. "Take a look."

Obediently, Alfred peered into the instrument. "And what am I looking at, sir?"

Batman tapped on his keyboard, bringing up a molecular analysis on the screen. "I took it from the crime scene at the mall."

"Some sort of foam, sir?" Alfred said as he looked over the information on the screen.

Batman nodded. "It was used to subdue Sportsmaster."

"And this is important because…?" Alfred prompted.

"It isn't just any kind of foam, Alfred," Batman said darkly before continuing in a serious tone. "It's the exact kind of foam I use."

"The Bat Goo, sir?"

"The wha-" Batman growled and mentally cursed Superman for coming up with all these dumb names for his stuff. "Yeah, the Bat Goo. It's the same compound. And look here." He brought up another screen that detailed an analysis of the shard of metal he'd found. "I believe this came from a throwing disc that exploded."

"Made of the same metal as your batarangs?" Alfred guessed.

"Exactly the same. This is unique Wayne technology specifically designed by Lucius for Batman. No one should be able to get a hold of this, especially not some kid vigilante."

"Then perhaps there is a bigger game afoot?"

Batman glared at the screen. "Maybe," he said, "but what?" He didn't want to form any concrete solutions yet. Not until he'd had a chance to interrogate- question- the kid. "Alfred, if you wanted to see an acrobat and a knife thrower, where would you go?"

"The circus, I imagine." The butler paused. "I believe there is a Haley's Circus in town this week, sir."

Batman typed the name into his computer. "The same circus that was in Metropolis six months ago." Earlier, he had discounted any connection with the circus and the appearance of the alternate Livewire. While it still could've been two separate and unrelated events, it did raise a red flag in Batman's mind. "And look at its main attraction: The Flying Graysons." He brought up their picture and narrowed his eyes. "Twins," he growled. He vaguely remembered seeing the two boys before.

"But how would these circus children get their hands on your technology?" Alfred asked.

"I don't know but I intend to find out." He looked over his shoulder at his butler. "I think I'll pay the Flying Graysons a visit."

"Very good, sir. But do try to remember that it is a child your looking for. Perhaps you could tone down the scare tactics when you talk to him."

"If the kid can't handle me, then he has no right parading around as a vigilante," Batman growled. Alfred raised a disapproving eyebrow. "All right, I'll be nice. I'll only make him wet his pants. No broken bones or anything."

Alfred only raised a dignified eyebrow and nodded. "Very magnanimous, sir."


	7. A Pillow Fight

Another update. Oh joyous of joys. I've missed writing while my computer's been sick! Enjoy!

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><p>Robin lay quietly in his bed, looking up at the ceiling of his tiny room. Absently, he played with the edge of his blanket, wearing a small hole in it. Underneath him, Dick was lazily reading a book. Robin heard him close it with a snap.<p>

"Hey."

"Hey," Robin replied automatically, not really paying attention to his brother.

"That was a sweet quad you pulled during practice," Dick complimented.

"Thanks."

"You want to try something new at practice tomorrow?"

"Sure."

"Cool. I was thinking that we could get someone to launch up a flaming hoop and you'd fly through it, pull a quad, back flip and then dive into a barrel of water."

"Okay."

Suddenly, Dick kicked the bottom of his bed, nearly causing it to fold up into the wall. The action snapped Robin out of his daze and he bolted upright. "Hey!" Robin cried indignantly. Before Dick could explain- not that Robin was particularly interested in an explanation- Robin swung himself off his bed and onto his brother's. "Eat pillow!" Robin roared as he grabbed Dick's pillow out from under his head and began beating him with it.

"Augh! Get off!" Dick bunched up, then kicked his feet out into Robin's stomach, knocking him off the bed. Quick as a flash, Dick jumped up and grabbed Robin's pillow from the top bunk and swung it. Robin blocked and pretty soon, both boys were leaping and dodging around the tiny space, knocking each other mercilessly with their pillows.

"The pillows are going to break!" Dick warned as he grabbed the dresser and used it to swing himself over Robin's head.

"Worse, Mom's gonna come in!" Robin countered. He tossed his pillow at Dick, who ducked in time. He wasn't, however, quick enough to dodge Robin, who launched himself at his feet, knocking him to the ground. The two wrestled, rolling on the ground, until Dick had Robin pinned to the ground, arm twisted behind his back.

"Say uncle! Say uncle!"

"All right, all right! Uncle!"

Dick laughed and jumped off Robin. "Victory is mine!" he crowed triumphantly, hands on his hips. Reaching down, he grabbed Robin's hand and pulled him up.

"Boys? What's going on in there?"

"Nothing, Mom!" they sang out in unison.

"You boys get to bed, now. Big day tomorrow."

"Sure thing, Dad!" There was a moment of silence before the two boys looked at each other and burst into giggles.

"So, what's bugging you?" Dick said, suddenly serious, as he tossed his pillow back onto his bed and crawled in under the covers.

"Nothing," Robin replied with a shrug.

"Uh-huh. You know, when you lie, you get this look on your face. I call it the Bat Mask. Almost as obvious as Pinocchio's nose."

Robin scowled at that and gently pushed Dick against the wall and climbed into bed with him. Laying on his back, he silently stared up at his own bunk. "I was just… thinking."

"That's pretty intense. I'll alert the media," Dick teased. Robin elbowed him in the gut. "What were you thinking about?"

Robin sighed. "About home."

"Home? This is your home, Robin," Dick said firmly.

"I know. But I can't just forget my whole previous existence!" Robin said softly. "Trust me, this is where I want to be but…" he sighed and turned onto his side. "Never mind. Forget it."

Dick grimaced. "No, what?"

Robin sighed again. "Nothing…" He could practically feel Dick burning a hole into his shoulder with an intense glare. "I just… I miss them. Bruce, Alfred… they were my family too. And Babs was my best friend. When she saw me today she… she didn't even recognize me, Dick." The thought felt like a kick to the stomach. "Pretty stupid thing to get all worked up over, huh? I mean, of course she wouldn't recognize me. I just didn't expect it to hurt so much."

Dick heaved a sigh of his own. "Must suck."

"Yeah," Robin agreed quietly.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Dick pressed after a few more moments of silence.

Robin rolled out of the bed and rested his arm on their window, looking out at the circus. Shaking his head, he looked over his shoulder at Dick. "She's a criminal."

"Who?" Dick asked.

"Artemis."

Dick's face scrunched up, as if he were trying to remember. "Oh, her. She was really nice to me when I was in your world." Dick paused and was quiet for a moment. "She was at the mall today," he finally said flatly. "She's a criminal here."

"Yeah, she is. And I can't help but think that it's… that I could've…"

"Whoa, wait." Dick jumped out of bed and stood behind Robin. "Are you blaming yourself for how she turned out in this dimension? That's stupid, Robin."

"I know. I know it is. But… she's my friend. She shouldn't be a criminal! Maybe if…"

"Maybe if what? Maybe if you had been here, you could've stopped her? Or maybe, if Mom and Dad had died I would be the great Batman's protégé and she would've turned out to be good?" Dick cried angrily. "Is that what you want? Because I happen to think that Artemis being a criminal is a whole lot better than Mom and Dad being dead."

"Of course it is but…" Robin shook his head. "I just… I sometimes forget that there are more things that are different here than just what happened to Mom and Dad. I feel like everything else should be the same and when it isn't I want to fix it. I… maybe I don't belong here, Dick."

Dick suddenly grabbed his shoulders, turned him around and looked him squarely in the eyes. "You belong here. You may be an idiot, but you're my brother and I love you and that means you belong here. And yes, things are different, and yes, there are some things that you can't change. But that doesn't mean you can't make a difference here. It doesn't mean that you can't help this world be better." He let go of him and took a step back, still holding his gaze. "And I bet Artemis is just waiting for someone to help her be a better person."

Robin was silent as he mulled over Dick's little speech. He was right- there were things he couldn't change, but that didn't make him completely helpless. And though things were different here, that didn't mean the fundamentals had changed. And he knew that, fundamentally, Artemis was a good person who wanted to be good but hadn't always had a choice. Why else, when Batman had given her the choice, had she jumped at the chance to join their team back on his own world?

Maybe what she needed here was for someone to let her know she had a choice.

"Tell Mom and Dad I'll be back before the show tomorrow," Robin ordered as he opened his top dresser draw and began rooting around.

"What? Where are you going? It's past ten."

Robin grinned as he found what he was looking for. "Ten's still early," he said as he slipped on his mask. "And I've got things to do, places to go, and people to see."


	8. Into the Night

Hi all. Here's another update. Hope you enjoy.

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><p>Cries for help were not uncommon in Gotham City. Criminals lurked in every shadow, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Most people knew to be home before dark but there were always a few who were foolish enough to venture out after the relative safety of daylight.<p>

In one dark alleyway, a woman stumbled as a man pushed her from behind. Several other men laughed and jeered as another threw her purse down on the ground beside her.

"Please. Please, don't hurt me," the woman begged pathetically.

"Hurt ya? Nah, we're just gonna have some fun," one of the thugs said with a laugh.

Another in the group knelt down beside her and stroked her cheek. "Just gonna have some fun," he echoed before backhanding her. She whimpered and tried to scoot away from him but was blocked by the other men closing in around her. "Now let's just-"

A creepy cackled filled the air, causing the men to pause and look up. It seemed to come from nowhere, and yet it filled the whole alley. The men looked at each other uneasily. The woman sniffed and also looked around nervously, as if expecting something worse to pop out of the shadows.

Just as suddenly as it had started, the cackling stopped. No one moved for a moment until one of the thugs snorted and made a move towards the girl. But before he could, something whizzed through the air and hit him in the shoulder. The man cried out and stumbled forward, clutching at his injury.

Before he could do anything else, a dark shadow fell from one of the rooftops, landing on his shoulders and bringing him to the ground. There was a collective cry of surprise as the criminals stepped back. It took them a moment to realize that the shadow was nothing more than a scrawny little kid in a cape.

"What the-"

Suddenly, the kid sprang up and tackled another man. A flurry of punches and kicks sent him into the oblivion of unconsciousness before any of the others could react. However, they got over their surprise quickly and pulled out their guns.

"Shoot it!" one cried as he fired off a volley of shots.

The kid instantly jumped up, doing a series of flips and spins before landing upside down on one of the thug's shoulders. Wind-milling his legs out, he kicked a few to the ground before twisting down to the ground, using his momentum to throw his human pommel horse over his head. The man slammed into a dumpster with a clatter and fell to the ground.

In a whirlwind of movement, the rest of the thugs found themselves in a heap, battered and bruised and mostly unconscious. Spinning on his heels, the kid stepped away from the mess and stretched his hand out towards the woman. Hesitantly, she grabbed it and let him help her up.

"What… who are you?" she asked fearfully.

The kid was about to say something, but cut himself off. Without a word, he pulled out a gun and fired off a shot towards the rooftops. An instant later, he disappeared, ascending into the shadows above.

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><p>Robin landed neatly on a gargoyle just above the alleyway, feeling mighty pleased with himself. As he watched the woman below him regain some of her composure before snatching her purse and running off, he couldn't help but feel a swell of excitement in his chest. It was almost as thrilling as the first time he had gone out with Batman.<p>

His mother, of course, would kill him if she ever found out about this. Hopefully he would be home before anyone woke up, but if not… well, maybe Dick would be able to conjure up a convincing lie. Either way, Robin was willing to take any punishment meted out to him. He was even willing to give up on crime-fighting once the circus moved on to a new city. But while he was here, he could not ignore the seductive call of Gotham to fly through her streets and face the terrors within. After all, he had pledged his life to her, to Batman's war on crime and that was not something he could easily forget or erase, no matter what dimension he was in.

Still, if he were going to continue with this, he mused as he shot off another line and swooped down through the air, he was going to need a new uniform. He hadn't realized how much he had grown in the past six months. While it hadn't gotten to the point of being impractical, his uniform was snug enough to be uncomfortable and that was the last thing he needed to distract him while taking on Gotham Crime. It would be just his luck if a bad guy got the best of him because his seams burst at an inconvenient moment.

Not only a new uniform, he decided as he tumbled onto another rooftop, but a new name. Robin wouldn't work, seeing as it was his civilian name now days.

"Batboy?" Robin thought aloud. "Nah, that's stupid." He crossed onto another rooftop. "The Boy Wonder? Too conceited. Besides, I'm pretty much a man now. Batwing? Nah- got to distance myself from Bats."

Oh well. Maybe Dick would have some ideas. It really wasn't important at the moment anyway. He was on a mission.

Gotham City Police Headquarters was right where it was supposed to be. Hopefully, it would have the same layout as well, Robin thought as he perched himself on the edge of the rooftop across from the building. Which meant that Commissioner Gordon's office would be right… there.

Robin smirked as he shot off a line and silently landed on the windowsill in question. Effortlessly, he pried the lock, opened the window and slipped into the office. The room was dark, as was the hallway outside. Good. If anyone were to come in, they'd probably turn on the outside light, giving Robin some notice. Not that this would take all that long.

Pulling out a few cords from his glove, Robin attached them to Gordon's computer and pulled up a holo-screen. "All right, Artemis, where are you?"

There were only so many places she could be in Gotham. Juvenile Detention seemed unlikely, considering she was accomplice to a kidnapping with Sportsmaster. Arkham, famous though it was, was only intended for the criminally insane, not for the average crook, or even a member of the League of Shadows. There were a few other prisons in the area she could've been sent to. Robin just had to find out which one.

And then what? Robin wasn't quite too sure on his next move. He couldn't break her out. Obviously. But he could visit her. Talk to her. Convince her to go straight. And then… Robin sighed. It seemed hopeless. Even if he could convince her, she had still committed a crime which she had to pay for. No one was going to let her walk away just because she promised to be good. Still, he had to try. He had to do something!

"There. Found you." She was still in Gotham. Robin allowed himself a tiny smile. It wouldn't be too hard to sneak out and see her tomorrow before the show.

Suddenly, the light came on in the hallway, casting a bit of light into the room through the frosted glass on the door. Unhooking himself from the computer, Robin swiftly and silently left the office, closing the window behind him. A moment later, the room filled with light and he could hear Commissioner Gordon talking with Detective Harvey.

"Have we got anything on that kid from the mall?" Gordon asked.

"Security footage was too grainy. Didn't catch a good shot of his face," Harvey answered. "Did Barbara tell you anything?"

Gordon sighed. "Good looking, black hair, blue eyes, cute smile." He paused. "She's a teenage girl. What other kind of description did you expect? She did get a name, though. Robin."

"Robin?" Harvey snorted. "Like the bird? Well, one thing's for sure, whoever hired Sportsmaster ain't gonna be too happy that some kid took him down."

"There's someone else who won't be too happy either," he muttered.

"Who?" There was another pause. "You mean the Bat? Heh, you're probably right. The guy can't stand competition in his town. He'll probably find the kid before we do."

"Well, heaven help the kid if he does."

Robin frowned. They were probably right. It was one thing to have the League of Shadows looking for you. It was another thing entirely to have Batman out for you. But maybe their fears were unfounded. After all, Batman had more important things to do than chase after some random kid who had happened to be at the right place at the right time and knew some martial arts. And had foam pellets. And exploding disks.

And maybe Santa Claus really did exist.

Before Robin could think about it much more, another cry sounded in the distance. Taking out his grappling gun, Robin shot off a line and, with a smile, swung off into the night.


	9. Further Investigation and a Conclusion

Hey everyone. Right now, I am typing on a laptop. Usually, I use a desktop with a wonderfully big keyboard. I am not a fan of laptop keyboards (I'm sure someone will point out they're the same size, but as far as I'm concerned, they are not as easy to type on). The point is, there may be an inordinate amount of typos in this chapter, which I tried to catch through editting. But for whatever's left, I apologize.

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><p>As the Batmobile sped through the streets of Gotham, Batman used its computers to compile every bit of information he could on The Flying Graysons. There wasn't too much on the surface: a few video clips, a few magazine and newspaper articles from all over the world, all extolling their acrobatic feats. Batman had to admit, he was actually impressed. These weren't amateurs. In fact, as Batman watched a few clips of their shows, he was almost envious of the way these people moved. They were graceful and controlled and skilled. They flew through the air as if it was what they were born to do. A complicated flip or turn looked as natural to them as breathing.<p>

Still, talent in the air as an acrobat didn't qualify someone to be a vigilante. And just where did that boy get all his gadgets from?

And wasn't it odd that, until six months ago- the same time of that inter-dimensional incident at the circus- only one of the boys was ever seen in public. It made sense- to let only one boy perform at a time so that they weren't over-worked- but it seemed awfully convenient. Batman's mind went back to that night at the circus. One of the boys had told him that he and his brother had been sent to a different dimension and the Justice League had brought them back. But what if they weren't actually brothers? What if they were alternate versions of each other and one, for one reason or another, had decided to accompany his alternate-self back to this dimension? An interesting thought, but Batman wasn't willing to jump to any conclusions without proof.

And it turned out that proof wasn't very forth-coming. As he dug deeper, he hoped to find evidence that one of the boys didn't officially exist. But instead he found a birth certificate, a social insurance number, even school marks from various schools that the boys had attended at some point in their journeys. Still, all that could've been fabricated and planted. After all, hadn't someone hacked into the Watchtower six months ago? In comparison, government computers were a snap. It'd take time to delve deeper into that possibility- time which he didn't have at the moment.

The waving flags of the circus appeared ahead. The Batmobile automatically turned down the nearest street and soon came to a neat stop in the shadows of a tent. The car top slid open and Batman jumped out.

Creeping through the shadows, Batman soon came upon a modest little trailer with a sign hanging from the door, proclaiming it belonged to the Graysons. Breaking into the trailer was pathetically easy. Batman's large frame felt cramped in the tiny room. A small table with a bench and two chairs was nestled against a window, with a small kitchenette across from it. A small hall, with two rooms on either side, ended with a little washroom. Batman grimaced. No wonder these people became trapeze artists- just being in this miniscule space gave Batman the urge to take off and fly through the free, open air.

Taking out a tiny flashlight, Batman began searching the room. On a short bookshelf near the door, there was a picture frame, showcasing a picture of four happy people- the Graysons. The mother was a pretty little thing, with long red hair and bright blue eyes. The father looked like a sturdy man with a wide smile that engulfed his face. The boys, being twins, looked the same. Batman couldn't tell them apart at all.

Batman set the picture down and glanced over the bookshelf. There were several photo albums. Batman smirked and plucked them off the shelf and set them on the table. The first one was full of newspaper clippings. Batman wasn't too interested in it- he had seen most of the articles before. The next was a wedding album. Boring.

Ah, pay dirt. The next one belonged to the boys. It was filled with baby pictures, doodles colored with crayons, notes, birthday cards, notes about first words and first steps. But only for one boy.

None of the pictures showed them together. How odd, to not have even one picture of your baby twins together. It was one thing to only let one perform, to let the world think only one existed- for the first thirteen years of their life anyway. It was another thing entirely for their personal collection to show only one kid. It could mean that, until six months ago, only one existed, period.

Batman had enough to be convinced. The only thing left to do was a nice little confrontation. Didn't matter which family member he questioned, one would eventually spill the truth.

A light shone through the door of one bedroom. Perfect. Now he could tell Alfred that he was nice enough to interrogate someone who was already awake, rather than rudely waking someone up. Without a noise, Batman slipped into the room. Like the rest of the trailer, the room was small- smaller than the average broom closet at the manor. Two beds folded out from the wall, one above the other. A dresser and a desk somehow fit in the rest of the space.

The top bunk was empty. A boy was sprawled out on the bottom one, half covered with a blanket. A book sat open on his chest, one hand resting on it. His other arm was lying across his face, shielding his eyes from the light. He had obviously fallen asleep reading, perhaps waiting up for his "brother" who didn't appear to be there. So much for not rudely waking anyone up. Oh well.

With no regard for the kid's beauty sleep, Batman grabbed the front of his shirt and hauled him out of bed, lifting him up in the air so they were face to face. Immediately, the kid's eyes shot open and he was about to cry out when Batman clapped his hand over his mouth.

"Don't." Batman growled. There was a muffled reply, causing Batman to glare. Getting the picture, the kid just nodded vigorously. Batman cast a glance behind him to the room across the hall before turning back to the kid. "Let's go somewhere a little more private."

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><p>So now Batman has Dick. Interesting.<p>

This chapter was a little short and not much happened, but it'll get a little more exciting next chapter in which, quite possibly, a certain boy wonder and a certain man in a batsuit may, by chance, see each other. Maybe... Hmmm...


	10. Savvy?

It wasn't that he was afraid of heights. Of course not. He was, after all, a trained acrobat who performed death-defying feats hundreds of feet in the air night after night. That wasn't what had Dick shaking in fear. It was the fact that the only thing keeping him from doing a free-fall off a skyscraper was a very angry looking man in a batsuit.

Dick tried to gulp back his fear. He had to remind himself that scary though Batman looked, the man was still a super her. He was on the justice League for pity sakes. A guy who hung around with Superman couldn't possibly toss an innocent kid off a building. Right?

This had something to do with what happened at the mall, Dick was sure of it. Why Batman even cared about that though, he didn't know. After all, all they had only stopped a kidnapping. No big deal. He'd think Batman would be happy to have the help.

Either way, Dick wished Robin were there. Robin knew Batman; in fact, he was practically his son in his old dimension. He knew how Batman thought, knew how to speak to him, bat to bat.

Dick dared a glance downwards, watching his feet sway slightly over the incredible drop. The building was probably the only one of its kind in town. Most of the buildings in Gotham were very Gothic with outcropping windowsills, gargoyles, or the occasional flagpole- something that he could grab on to, use to swing himself to safety. But this particular building was straight glass windows. Very modern. Very inconvenient.

"Start talking."

Dick ripped his eyes away from the drop and to Batman. "What?" he managed, keeping his voice as steady as he could.

"Now."

"What are you talking about?" Dick continued, feigning innocence. Though he didn't know exactly what this was about, he had a pretty good idea. But he wasn't about to make this easy for Batman.

Batman loosened his grip just a little, causing Dick to slip slightly out of his shirt. Dick grabbed onto Batman's wrists to keep himself from falling out all the way.

Then again…

"I know it was you and your brother at the mall who stopped the kidnapping."

Dick nodded. "So what do you want? An autograph? To sign us up to be your sidekicks? Sorry. Kinda got a life contract with the circus."

Batman smiled. Or smirked. Or something. Either way, it was a terrifying sight. It sent shivers up Dick's spine. Dad had been right- this was one scary guy. Not the kind of guy he imagined would take in a poor orphaned boy and treat him as a son, as the alternate Batman had with Robin.

"Cute." The smile disappeared and was replaced with a menacing sneer. "The technology you used- the foam pellets, the disk- who supplied it to you?"

"What. I don't-"

"Your brother then. How did your brother come across it?" Dick managed a shrug. Batman growled. "I know he's not really your brother. He's an alternate version of you."

Dick's eyes widened. How did he know that? How could he possibly know that? He remembered Robin telling him that Batman was the world's greatest detective. But Robin had also told him that he had hacked into the government systems and had essentially created himself an identity. An ironclad, foolproof identity. So how did Batman know he was from another dimension?

"Tell me, now. Or I swear I will send him back to where he came from."

Dick's heart jumped into his throat. He wouldn't. He couldn't. How? Why? He-

"I'm losing my patience."

"You can't."

"Trust me. I can. I deal with inter-dimensional incidents on a regular basis. Sending some kid back to where he came from is no big deal. So tell me, where did he get the tech? Who sent him here and why?"

Sent him here? Ah. That was it. Batman knew Robin was from another dimension and, paranoid as he was, had thought some baddy had sent some thirteen year old kid there to destroy the Justice League, one botched kidnapping at a time. Dick snorted at the thought.

"Fine." Was all Batman said as he let go of Dick's shirt. Dick was almost too surprised to scream. Almost. It took him a second, but he screamed as loud as he could. He had only dropped a few feet when something, or rather, someone, snatched him out of the arm. He felt himself swing upwards before coming to a gentle stop. Dick didn't dare open his eyes, until he felt a hand grabbing the front of his shirt and the now familiar sense of being held over a ledge.

Cracking his eyes open slightly, he found himself face to face with Batman. The vigilante was glaring at him through his cowl.

What could it hurt to tell him about Robin? He already knew that he was from another dimension. Besides, Robin was Batman's partner. Batman couldn't get angry about that.

"Let's try this again. Talk, now."

"You."

"Not how it works. You talk, I listen," Batman growled.

"No. He got them from you. Alternate you." Batman's one eye got larger, so dick assumed he was raising an eyebrow. Dick took a deep breath. "You're right. Robin is me from a different dimension. And in that dimension, he's your partner. Batman and Robin, the Dynamic Duo."

Batman was silent for a moment as if he were considering the validity of Dick's revelation. "Why was he sent here?"

"He wasn't sent. He came." Dick took another steadying breath and glanced down. Batman grunted and set him down on the ledge. Dick's lip twitched into a small smile, showing his gratitude. "In his dimension, his parents are dead. You… Alternate Batman, took him in and he became Robin, the Boy Wonder. But then I was sent to his dimension by some crazy sorceress and after he and his pals brought me back, we convinced him to stay. Where. He. Belongs."

That freaky smirk was back. "I'll decide that."

"I'll fight you tooth and nail to keep him here," Dick vowed.

"Not much of a contest, kid."

"I know I'm no match for you physically, but there's more than one way to win a war. In addition to being Batman's partner, Robin was also the legal ward of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Savvy?"

Batman narrowed his eyes and grunted. "Savvy."

Dick let out a sigh of relief, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders knowing that Robin wasn't in any danger of being deported back to his own dimension. "So, now what?"

"Now, you keep your 'brother' from crime-fighting. He keeps a low profile, and we don't have a problem. Savvy?"

Dick quirked an eyebrow. "Not quite. I mean, why does it even matter? He's good. I mean, geez, he took out that guy at the mall without breaking a sweat. Why can't he-"

"Because if he-" Batman suddenly cut himself off and frowned. "Now?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. "I'm busy… Deal with it yourself… And you call yourself the man of steel," he muttered before turning his attention back to Dick. "This is not over."

"You know where to find me. And apparently have no problem kidnapping me."

Batman nodded with another creepy smirk and turned to leave. Dick's jaw dropped a little. He wasn't serious. He wasn't actually going to leave him here in the middle of one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

Apparently he was. Dick could only watch helplessly as Batman disappeared into the shadows. "Okay…"

"Dick?"

Dick spun around to see Robin land neatly next to him. "Robin?"

"What… what are you-" Robin's voice died, as he looked off into the distance. Dick followed his gaze to where Batman's silhouette was perched on a nearby chimney, cape billowing in the wind. The Batman stayed there for a moment, watching them, before diving out of sight. Robin took a little step forward but stopped himself. Turning his attention back to Dick, he raised a questioning eyebrow.

Dick gave him a wry smile. "Met a friend of yours."

* * *

><p>All right, so they didn't meet. But they saw each other. Which I think is what I promised.<p>

Good day mates!

Oh, and I also realized that last chapter, Robin gave himself a Social Insurance Number. I'm pretty sure that's just a Canadian thing. As a Yank, he would have a Social Security Number, right? Well, if so, sorry. I didn't think of it until after I posted and I'm too lazy to repost over something that tiny.


	11. Superman's Theory

Superman's cape fluttered majestically as he stood, hands on his hips, outside of the Hall of Justice. The Flash and his sidekick stood off to the side, talking rapidly as they munched on an indecent amount of food. Aquaman was also nearby, leaning casually against a wall, looking very pleased with himself. Batman landed silently above the doorway, watching them all with a small dose of contempt. The only one he could remotely consider his friend was Superman and only if a very liberal definition of the term was used.

His gaze settled momentarily on The Flash and Kid Flash. What could possibly possess a man to take on a sidekick? In The Flash's case, he hadn't had much of a choice. His idiot, yet brilliant, nephew had recreated the conditions of the experiment that had given the Flash his powers and had gained his own. Batman supposed the only way to keep the super-powered kid out of trouble was to train him to fight crime. But those were the most unusual circumstances. Surely there would be no justification for Batman taking on a young partner.

So just what had possessed that alternate Batman to take in a young boy and make him his partner? It didn't seem practical. Other than incredibly acrobatic prowess, the Grayson boy didn't seem to have any powers. Taking him on was dangerous and downright foolish. Imagine pitting a mere boy against the likes of the Penguin, Two-Face and the Joker. If nothing else, the boy would just get in Batman's way and end up getting him injured or killed.

Batman shook his head. The Batman of that dimension was obviously some sort of idiot. It was probably a good thing the kid was here now, out of his way. Maybe now, the alternate Batman could get back to fighting crime properly instead of playing Daddy Warbucks to little Orphan Robin.

Still, he had to admit, the kid had guts. And he couldn't be completely incompetent. He had, after all, taken on Sportsmaster and his daughter successfully without any innocent casualties. And of course, anyone who spent any time with Batman, being trained by him no less, couldn't be completely hopeless.

He even had to admire the other boy, Dick Grayson. He was nothing more than a civilian and even though Batman had been dangling him over the edge of a building, he had enough guts to threaten Batman. Anyone who threatened Batman was either incredibly brave, or incredibly stupid. Batman decided it might've been a little of both, but there was no denying the kid was spunky. Endearing, almost, if Batman had a heart. Which he didn't.

Maybe the other Batman had somehow been touched by Robin's orphan story. Maybe he had taken Robin's grief and had redirected it towards fighting for justice, much like he had his own grief after his parents had been murdered. Maybe the other Batman had seen an opportunity to recruit fresh talent into his never-ending war on the criminal element.

Of course, all that was speculation. And he supposed it didn't matter. That was a whole different dimension and whatever had happened there didn't affect him. And yet, he couldn't take his mind off it. As much as he tried to move past it, he kept getting caught up on the fact that he, the goddamn Batman, had a shrimp of a kid for a sidekick.

"Hey, Bats, what took you so long?" The Flash asked suddenly, apparently just noticing his arrival.

Batman grunted as he dropped down onto the pavement. "Busy."

"Right. Well, you missed all the fun. We caught that alternate Livewire. Metropolis is a little worse for wear, but nothing they aren't use to."

"So why am I here?" Batman asked, turning his glare towards Superman.

"First, you're the one with the know-how about how to send him back. And two, I thought you'd want to question him- find out what he's doing here," Superman replied evenly, completely unperturbed by Batman's glare.

Batman just grunted and walked past the rest of the group and into the Hall. He could hear Superman thanking Aquaman and the Flashes.

"Dude, no problem at all, Supes. Anytime you need us, you just holler and we'll be there faster than you can blink," Kid Flash cried enthusiastically. Batman rolled his eyes. Kids. "Hey, Uncle Barry, race you home?"

The Flash laughed and ruffled his nephew's red hair. "Sure. On the count of-"

"Three!" And with that, both speedsters took off. Batman was sure Kid Flash had cheated, but they were both moving so fast that he couldn't tell.

Superman chuckled to himself as he made his way behind Batman. "That Kid sure is something," he said conversationally.

"Yeah, a pain in the neck," Batman grumbled.

"Oh come on, he's a good kid. Helped save a lot of people today. This alternate Livewire is a lot more powerful than the one we're used to. Practically half of Metropolis was on fire. If it hadn't been for Aquaman, I don't think I would've been-"

"You needed the fish to help you douse Livewire in water? Seems to me you should've been able to handle it on your own."

Superman shrugged, ignoring the dig. "Like I said, this Livewire is way more powerful. But all's well that ends well."

"Sure," Batman replied curtly. "Where is this guy now?"

"In one of the holding cells," Superman replied. "He has an inhibitor bracelet on, so he's completely powerless."

Batman almost congratulated him for using his head for once, but decided to let it go. Instead he pressed on without a word until they were both outside the holding cell. Batman watched Livewire through the glass. "Have you found out anything about him?"

Superman shook his head. "Nope. Doesn't like me too much though."

"Can't imagine why," Batman snorted.

Superman quirked an eyebrow, looking down at Batman with half a smile. "You're just a ray of sunshine tonight, aren't you? Something bugging you?"

Batman just glared at Superman before turning his attention back to Livewire. "Give me ten minutes," Batman growled as he cracked his knuckles and entered the room.

* * *

><p>"Impressive," Superman said, not more than ten minutes later as Batman stepped back out of the room. "So?"<p>

"Apparently his home dimension is quite the dystopia. He and a bunch of other criminals took out the League, but then there was a bunch of inter-fighting and the world isn't much more than a wasteland now."

"So he came here in order to start over?" Superman asked.

Batman shook his head. "No. He says he was minding his own business when he was sucked into a portal and ended up here."

Superman cast a glance towards Livewire, studying him for a moment. "Do you believe him?"

Batman gave a non-committal shrug. "Only because I don't think he's smart enough to find a way to dimension hop."

"So a portal just randomly opened and randomly brought him here?" Superman said skeptically.

"So it would seem. But I'm not convinced it was completely random."

"Oh?"

With a swish of his cape, Batman turned and started down the hall. Superman cast one last glance at Livewire before catching up with him.

"Remember the circus?"

"Yeah. In Metropolis six months ago. But I thought you said that the energy signatures were different."

"They were. But the story the Graysons fed us was a load of bunk. One of the boys, Robin, is from another dimension. I gather he decided to stay here because his parents are alive, whereas in his home dimension, he's an orphan."

"So you think he's connected to Livewire's appearance? Do you think they're from the same dimension?'

"Doubtful. Apparently the Justice League is alive and well where he comes from. But it can't be a coincidence that this Robin shows up from another dimension and six months later, Livewire appears at the same spot."

"Maybe," Superman drawled thoughtfully, "maybe Robin's trip here somehow weakened the fabric of reality in that area, causing it to break open every once in a while."

Batman arched an eyebrow, impressed with Superman's theory. "We'll have to monitor the area, just to make sure," Batman said. "In the meantime, I'll get the equipment ready to send Livewire back to where he came from."

"What about the Grayson kid? Are you going to send him back too?" Superman asked.

"No," Batman replied firmly.

"Why not?" asked Superman, sounding surprised at Batman's resolution.

"I have my reasons," Batman replied. He didn't elaborate any further. He couldn't. There was no way he was going to let Superman know that the Grayson boy had piqued his curiosity. There was no way he would let him know that he wanted to observe the boy, just to see what the protege of Batman was capale of.

* * *

><p>So, when I planned this chapter, at first I wanted it to be this big action sequence with the Justice League, including Batman, fighting Livewire. But then I decided that one: I am no good at writing actions scenes, two: even if I were, I'm too lazy, three: even if I weren't lazy, it just didn't seem to fit and four: even if it did fit in nicely, it wasn't necessary. So, yes, this chapter was really wordy, but this isn't a Justice League fic, so it works for me. Hope it works for y'all.<p>

Until next time,

Tuttle


	12. Only Room For One

Dick wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and get some sleep. It was well past two in the morning. He never went to bed this late. Heck, he barely made it to midnight on New Year's Eve. His days were just too full- school work, practice, working around the circus and more practice. He realized it was probably strange for a fourteen year old kid to not like staying up late, but most kids his age didn't have the kind of life he had.

As they approached the trailer, he cast a wary glance at Robin. His brother showed no signs of being tired. He was quiet, deep in thought, but still alert. He even had the energy to stop a few muggings on the way home. He was obviously running on some secret energy source that only bats knew about.

Together, the two boys crept back into the trailer and their room. Dick immediately flopped onto his bed, letting his legs hang stiffly off the side. Robin clicked his tongue and gently shifted his brother and covered him with a blanket. Dick mumbled into his pillow and was half-tempted to fall asleep, but a tiny hiss of pain from Robin stopped him. Immediately, he rolled over and sat up.

"You okay?" Dick asked, alarmed.

"Just sore," Robin replied shortly. "I'm a little rusty. My muscles aren't used to beating people up anymore." He took off his mask and looked over his shoulder at Dick, flashing him a brilliant smile. "I missed it."

"And you're happier than a pig in poop that you were at it again," Dick stated, somewhat amused.

"Totally whelmed," Robin agreed. "Nice analogy, by the way."

Dick yawned. "Yeah, thanks. Picked it up down south somewhere." Robin snorted and Dick managed a sleepy smile. Content that Robin wasn't seriously injured, Dick snuggled into his pillow and promptly fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Robin waited until Dick was asleep before he let out a long breath. He hurt- all over. He was out of practice and it had showed. More than a few punks had gotten in a lucky punch or two- punches that six months ago, Batman would've killed him for getting hit with.<p>

Gingerly, Robin peeled off his uniform and changed into his pajamas. Picking his uniform off the floor, he held it up and studied it. The yellow R stood out brightly and Robin fingered it almost reverently.

Though his uniform had changed a few times over his course of being Batman's protégé, the R always stayed. It, along with his name, had served as a connection to his murdered family. And as a reminder of why he fought.

Now he would have to get rid of it. If he wanted to keep being a vigilante- and he did; after tonight he desperately wanted to go out again- he would have to distance himself from the name Robin, which now served as his civilian name. And without the R, he might as well redesign his whole costume.

Besides, he had designed this costume with Batman and wearing it now reminded him of his mentor. At that thought, Robin turned away from the uniform and shut his eyes tightly, trying to fight back the tears that suddenly welled up.

Bruce had been demanding, stubborn, distant, complicated, and emotionally stunted.

And wonderful.

He had saved Robin on that dark night so many years ago. He had given him a reason to keep living, to keep going. And Robin knew Batman loved him like his own son. He knew from the way Bruce would play basketball with him- disguising it as training, of course. He knew from the way he would discipline the team if Robin got so much as a black eye on a mission. He knew from the way Bruce would stand behind him, hand on his shoulder, every year when he visited his parent's graves. To others, it seemed as if Batman had no heart, but Robin knew that he did- it was just reserved for those who deserved it. That was a short list, and Robin had the top spot.

And he, like the ungrateful wretch he was, had left him- abandoned him for a new dimension where his parents were alive. Where the event that had brought him and Batman together never happened. The guilt of his betrayal still stung, even after all these months. He had managed to push it to the side, keeping it on the backburners of his heart. But tonight, it all came to the forefront of his thoughts and feelings when he had seen this world's Batman.

His first instinct had been to leap over to him, beg for forgiveness and tell him he missed him. But he had instantly stopped himself. Because it hadn't been his Batman. This Batman hadn't spent countless nights letting him cry into his shoulder after horrible nightmares. This Batman hadn't helped him with homework on stakeouts. This Batman was darker and more ruthless- he had dropped Dick off a building for pity sakes! This Batman didn't know him from a hole in the wall.

Six months ago, he had thrown himself into the arms of alternate versions of his parents. He instantly loved them because he knew they instantly loved him.

But this Batman didn't know him, didn't trust him, and didn't love him. He didn't care one way or another for Robin. So Robin didn't care one way or another for him. Yes, he wanted him to be safe and all that, but he was determined not to get emotional over him. The only Batman who deserved his love was in a whole different dimension. And Robin would probably never see him again.

What was he doing right now? Was he happy? Well, was he as happy as Batman could be? Was he safe? How had he explained Dick Grayon's sudden disappearance?

Did he miss him?

"I wouldn't blame you if you didn't," Robin whispered as he tucked his costume away where his parents wouldn't see it. Turning off the light, Robin hopped into his bed and wrapped the covers around him. From where it was hidden under his pillow, Robin pulled out a little Batman stuffy and held it tightly. "But I miss you." As he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine Batman telling him that he missed him too.


	13. Family Discord

Robin puffed out a breath as he slumped against a barrel outside the center ring. Morning practice had been harder than usual. It probably had something to do with his activities the night before. He had almost forgotten how physically demanding being a vigilante was- it had been so easy six months ago. Staying up later than h had in six months didn't help either. He had become use to going to sleep not long after midnight, whereas before, staying up until two, three or even four had been no big deal.

Letting out an identical sigh, Dick collapsed beside him, resting his head on Robin's shoulder. "Worst. Practice. Ever. I am so not whelmed," Dick said with a yawn.

Robin patted his brother's knee. "Stiff upper lip."

"I'll give you a stiff upper lip," Dick muttered. "How are you even still awake? I'm exhausted."

"You're such an old man," Robin teased. "Can't even handle being awake until two."

"And what were you doing staying up until two?"

Both boys looked up to see their father standing over them, hands on his hips, stern expression adorning his face. Robin's face immediately went blank, not betraying anything. Dick, however, squirmed, looking back at his father sheepishly.

"Dick?" Dad pressed. It was like he could smell guilt or something.

"Oh, you know, we were just talking," Dick replied with a shrug, turning his gaze away from him.

Dick fought the urge to roll his eyes. Dick was just too honest- an almost endearing trait, except when it got them into trouble. While his brother hadn't had the benefit of Batman's training, he would've thought Dick could at least manage to think of something- some sort of little lie, or at least a half-truth- and not sound so guilty about it. It was like he had a big neon light shining over him, announcing to the world that he was hiding something.

"Right." Dad shook his head. "You both know how important it is to be alert, especially on the day of a show. This is dangerous enough without you making mistakes because you didn't get enough sleep."

"We know, Dad. We're sorry," Dick said sincerely. Robin arched an eyebrow. While he was sure Dick had tried to stay up until he had come home, his brother had probably fallen asleep not long after he had left. And it wasn't exactly Dick's fault that Batman had come in and kidnapped him, hanging him off a building well past his bedtime. All in all, Dick was completely innocent- he had no reason to apologize, especially not so genuinely.

Robin, on the other hand, had gone out, knowing full well they had a show the next night and that the day would be filled with practice. While he hadn't expected to be quite so sore, he knew that picking fights with crooks wasn't the best way to prepare for flying on a trapeze the next day. It was entirely his fault and yet he couldn't bring himself to apologize. Because he wasn't the least bit sorry that he had gone out last night. He had loved every minute of it. And show or no show, whether in Gotham or somewhere else, he was determined to go out again.

"Robin?" Robin cocked his head to the side as Dad turned his attention to him. "I know you're use to staying up later, but until two is not acceptable anymore- especially if you're going to keep Dick up with you. Agreed?"

"Yes sir," Robin said resolutely with a nod, though he didn't mean it at all. He felt a little guilty for lying so easily to his parents- for whom he had given up so much- but pushed the feeling aside.

"Good," Dad said, apparently fooled by Robin's false sincerity. "Why don't you two grab something to eat and take a nap? Your mother and I have a meeting with Pop."

Robin immediately jumped to his feet. "Good idea. Come on, Dick." Grabbing Dick's arm, he pulled his brother to his feet and led him out the tent. As they approached their trailer, Dick dug his heels into the ground, bringing them to a stop.

"Hold it. What are you up to? There's no way you want a nap this badly," Dick accused as he pulled his arm out of Robin's grasp.

"I've got things to do," Robin replied with a shrug. Dick raised an eyebrow, sending Robin a skeptical look. Robin grimaced and pulled Dick into the trailer. There were very few people he could lie to and get away with it- Alfred, Batman and Dick. "Look, I found out where Artemis is. I just want to go talk to her, but we'll be moving out soon and if I don't go now, I might miss my chance. I'll be an hour. Two hours tops. Just cover me for a while. Stall if you have to."

"Stall?" Robin said doubtfully.

Robin clapped him on the shoulder. "You'll think of something. Use your charm. Ask Raya- I bet she'll have a few ideas."

Dick rolled his eyes and gently pushed Robin towards the door. "Right. Well, if you're going, go. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can get back."

"Don't worry. Have a good nap."

"Have a good nap he says. He's going to run away and all he says is have a good nap. Cover for me, he says. Don't worry about me, he says." Dick pointed his finger accusingly at Robin. "You owe me so big that you'll be a little old bat before you can make it up."

"Acknowledged. Way to be traught over all this," Robin said with a grin before heading out the door. Popping his head back in, he gave Dick a brilliant smile. "And if Andre asks where his motorcycle is, tell him you haven't seen it."

"What? Hey, wait-"

Robin didn't hear the rest of the protest as he leapt off the front step with a flip and raced off to commandeer his ride into town.

John deflated with a sigh. "And so it begins," he groaned, wiping his hand down his face. He had seen everything in his boys' faces. The complete lack of expression in Robin's face was a dead give-away. Especially when contrasted with the overwhelming guilt in Dick's eyes. Emphasis on the over.

Mary came up behind him, wrapping her arms around him and resting her cheek on his shoulder. "What's that?" she asked curiously.

"Teenage rebellion," John replied glumly.

"What do you mean? So they stayed up late. Once in a very, very blue moon isn't going to hurt them."

"It's not that, Mary. They're hiding something from us. Did you read the paper this morning?" Mary shook her head. John sighed again and turned to face her, clutching her hands in his. She was not going to like what he had to say. Looking her squarely in the eye, he took a deep breath. "Front page news- unknown boys thwart kidnapping at mall." Mary stiffened, eyes widening. "Three boys, and two of them were described as dark haired, blue eyes twins."

"Dick and Robin?"

"What do you think?"

Mary pushed away from him and whirled around, folding her arms tightly against her chest. "Well, what did you expect them to do? Let someone get kidnapped? You would've tried to stop it yourself if you'd been there. Heck, I would've tried to stop it." Throwing her hands up in the air, Mary began to pace. "I'm sure they didn't tell us because they didn't want us to worry. And it's not like they're sneaking out to-" Mary cut herself off and turned to face John. "It's not like they're sneaking out late at night to go fight crime. Right?"

"We don't know if that's why they were up late last night. But Mary, Robin's been fighting crime since he was nine. Nine!" Just saying it made his heart sink into his stomach. He couldn't imagine his little boy enlisting in a war on crime at such a tender, young age. Dick hadn't even lost all his baby teeth by then for pity sakes. "You can't just expect him to erase that much of his life just like that." John snapped his fingers.

"Six months is not just like that," Mary retorted, snapping her fingers back at him.

"Mary-"

She was too worked up to listen. "Why does he even need to be a vigilante? He has us now. The only reason he became a crime-fighter was because…" Mary turned her face away as tears filled her eyes. "What are we going to do? He's going to go off and get hurt and… and we're going to lose him and…" she dissolved into frustrated sobs. "And worse, he's going to drag Dick into this. He already has! And they're both going to get hurt."

"All right, hold it. You need to calm down." John grabbed her by the shoulders and held her in place. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly, hoping Mary would copy him. Instead, she shook herself from his grip.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why didn't you just… ground them both for a million years the moment you suspected they were running off to Gotham at night, jumping off rooftops and getting into fights with thugs with guns and, and, and-"

"We have no proof that that's what they were doing last night. They really could've just been talking," John said, trying vainly to placate her worry.

Mary sucked in a breath and wiped the tears from her face. "All right. Let's sit down with them right now. We'll find out. And then we'll forbid Robin from all this vigilantism."

"Okay. But only if you stay calm. Calm?"

"My little boy is needlessly putting his life in danger. I'm not going to be calm," Mary snapped. "But I'll try to be reasonable."

"Good enough." John took her hand and together they made their way towards the trailer. As they approached, a motorcycle ripped past. A motorcycle being driven by someone who looked suspiciously like Robin.

"Robin? Robin!" Mary yelled, taking off after the bike. But it had already sped out of the circus grounds. Mary stopped and whirled around, meeting John's eyes with a fearful expression. "Where is he going?"

"I don't know. But I know who will."

* * *

><p>Two things. One, I hope I'm not making Mary out to be a monster or something. I certainly don't view her that way and I hope you don't either. It can't be easy being Robin's mom. She just loves him so much, she doesn't want him to get stabbed by some low-life crook.<p>

Two- GASP! Raya is EBIL! She is totally working against Dick in the Nightwing comics. I cannot approve of this at all. Curse you Raya! Curse you!

On the bright side, that means there's no one standing between Dick and Babs! Yay! Best. Couple. Ever!


	14. Artemis' Promise

Just a very short chapter. Enjoy

* * *

><p>Robin stashed the motorcycle in an alleyway near the jail. It wouldn't do for a fourteen year old without a license of any kind to pull up in front of a place crawling with police on a stolen motorcycle. It probably wasn't the safest place to leave it, but, then again, this was Gotham- no place was safe for anything.<p>

Getting in to see Artemis was harder than he had predicted. He was used to going into these kinds of situations as Robin- the other half of the dynamic duo- and therefore had a free pass to see whatever inmate he wanted. But eventually, after using all his skill of persuasion and charm, he finagled his way into seeing her.

Instead of being led into an interrogation room as he usually was, Robin found himself sitting in a small booth, telephone hanging on the wall beside him. As Robin waited for someone to collect Artemis, he felt his stomach tying itself in knots. What was he doing? What was he going to say to her? This was a bad idea. This was insane. Why on earth would she care about anything he had to say? He wasn't her team mate. Heck, if he were lucky, she wouldn't recognize him at all because if she did, he would be nothing more to her than the kid who had landed her in jail. This was definitely a bad idea. Maybe he should leave while he could.

Robin didn't have a chance to act on the thought because Artemis was being led into the other room. His former team mate- or rather, the alternate version of his team mate- was dressed in an orange jumpsuit, her feet shackled together, forcing her to shuffle. When she finally sat down, she cast Robin an unimpressed look and moved to get back up.

"No, wait!" Robin shouted. She didn't hear him, so he smacked the glass. Rolling her eyes, she sat back down, crossing her arms over her chest. Robin tentatively picked up the phone. Artemis made no move to do the same. Robin opened his eyes really wide, using his patented puppy eyes that sent parents' resolves crumbling and girls swooning. Artemis didn't seem affected.

But then, suddenly, she stiffened, her eyes growing wide then narrowing in rage. Tearing the phone off the hook, she slammed her fist into the glass. "You!" she snarled.

Okay, so she recognized him. He didn't blame her for being mad, but it didn't really instill him with a lot of confidence as far as convincing her to turn her life around. "Yeah, me," Robin acknowledged with a little nod.

"What the hell are you doing here? I ought to-"

"I just wanted to talk."

"Talk?" Artemis roared. "Talk? Who are you? What makes you think I have anything to say to you?"

"Nothing. But I have something to say to you. And you're going to listen," Robin said darkly, sounding very much like Batman. It surprised him. It even made Artemis pause. Instead of arguing or hanging up, Artemis sat back, glaring daggers at him through the glass.

Robin took a deep breath. He had no idea what he wanted to say now. She was just so hostile. Somehow he had to reach the good person her knew Artemis was.

"Look, I'm not going to apologize for putting you in here. You were going to kidnap an innocent girl. You killed a security guard! You're in here because of you, not because of me."

"I should've killed you the moment I saw you," Artemis snarled. "I knew you were going to be trouble. What are you, some junior justice leaguer?"

Robin ignored the question. This wasn't about him, it was about her. "I know Sportsmaster is your father."

"What gave it away? Our similar, sunshiny personalities?"

"So you probably felt like you didn't have a choice. Your sister joined The Shadows, your mom was in jail-"

"My mother is dead," Artemis growled. "And how the hell do you know about my sister? How do you know about me? WHO ARE YOU?"

"I'm the kid who's trying to tell you that you do have a choice," Robin said, his voice calm but serious. "You don't have to be a criminal. You can change. I can talk to the Justice League and-"

"Hello! News flash! I'm in here for attempted kidnapping and MURDER! And guess what, it's not the first time I've done that and when I get out of here, it won't be the last. You come in here with your little song of salvation but did you ever stop and think that I don't want it?"

The words were like a blow to the stomach. Didn't want to change? He would never understand why someone wanted to be a criminal. "Artemis, you're better than this."

"You don't know anything about me," Artemis hissed.

"Apparently not. But let me tell you something, I've seen a world where Artemis Crock is a hero. Where she has friends, real friends, who would do anything for her. I've seen her do amazing things. I've seen her take on super villains and save lives. And I thought that maybe you and she were the same. Guess I was wrong."

Artemis sat back, looking as if she was trying to absorb everything he had said. Robin shook his head and, having nothing left to say and feeling rather drained from his impassioned speech, put the phone back. As he turned to walk away, he heard Artemis smacking the glass. She waved her phone at him and he sat down.

"That was quite a story," Artemis said softly. Her face suddenly hardened. "Now let me tell you one. I don't know who you are or where you come from and I don't really care. But I think maybe the League of Shadows will, especially if you've seen other worlds. And I promise I will make sure they hunt you down. And they won't kill you. They'll just ensure that your only _choice_ is to join them."

* * *

><p>Sorry, Robin's a little melodramatic, but Artemis' promise may just come in to play later... Hmmmm...<p> 


	15. The Joke's on You

Well, that hadn't gone as planned. Robin hadn't expected Artemis to be hostile. He had gone in with the idea that she was good person in a bad situation. He had never considered that in this dimension, she was so radically different that she actually wanted to be evil. It boggled Robin's mind.

And the threat she had made didn't bode well. He had no doubt that she could get word to The Shadows and they would find out who, and potentially what, he was.

Robin was never one to panic. And he certainly wasn't scared of The League of Shadows. Batman and he had taken them on too many times to count. Sure, Ra's al Ghul was a little intimidating and Robin was pretty sure that Talia al Ghul's intentions towards Batman were less than honorable, but all in all, Robin never really worried about them.

But that was back home with Batman, his team and the whole Justice League to back him up if he needed them. Here, he was on his own. He had no doubt that Batman and the rest of the League would do what they could to stop the Shadows if they made a play, but it might not be until the damage was done. Robin didn't have their support at the drop of a hat. So while he wouldn't say he was panicked, he would admit to being rationally concerned.

He was also rationally concerned that if he didn't get home quickly, his mother would have his hide. Dick could only hold them off for so long. And his brother was a terrible liar. It was pathetic really. But if he thought about it, he had been a horrible liar once upon a time too. Batman had changed that. And Robin wasn't sure if that was necessarily a good thing.

Hopping on his bike, Robin revved the engine and tore out of the alleyway. As he navigated the streets of Gotham with ease, he only hoped that he wouldn't run into trouble. Like an observant cop who noticed a kid riding a motorcycle without a helmet. Though, this was Gotham. He had to worry more about running into-

"AHHH!"

The scream ripped through the air, calling to him over the roar of traffic.

Right. Well, this looked like a job for… Nightshade. Yeah. That sounded pretty good.

Except it was already taken. Craters.

Robin reached into his pocket and pulled out his mask, slipping it on while he turned down an alleyway. The screams were coming from around the corner. Taking a moment, he pulled out his belt and slipped it on before jumping off his bike and taking off.

What he saw when he rounded the corner made him stop dead in his tracks. Two men were on the ground, one screaming in agony as two dogs ripped him apart. No, not dogs.

Hyenas.

The other could only grunt as someone beat him mercilessly with a crowbar.

Oh crap. Robin was definitely not feeling the aster. In fact, he was frozen in place as he watched the Joker bring down the crowbar once more.

"Oooo! Isn't this hilarious! You two actually thought you could double-cross me!" Joker giggled as his victim's blood splattered onto his clothes.

This Joker, Robin saw, was different than the one he was used to. For one thing, he had dark black make-up around his eyes. He looked a little older, a little bigger, and his clothes not nearly as tight. His voice was smoother and his smile was more vicious. And there was something else that Robin couldn't quite place, but whatever it was, it scared him.

Joker had always been the most dangerous criminal he and Batman had faced mostly because he was so unpredictable. The Joker was insane- he didn't know fear, he didn't have limits. To an extent, Batman had always tried to shield Robin from this lunatic. It only made Robin afraid of him. Just the thought of facing off against the Joker alone made Robin's palms sweaty and his heart beat a little faster. He'd done it before, when he and his team were sent to stop the so-called 'Injustice League', but Batman had swooped in to save him. He always did.

But Batman wasn't here now, watching out for him. If Robin decided to intervene, he was on his own. And he had to intervene. He had no choice.

Taking a deep breath, Robin pulled out a bird-a-rang and melted into the shadows. Fighting past his fear, he cackled. Joker didn't seem to notice at first, but then stopped, looking around.

"Is someone coming to join the party?" Joker called out. Robin fell quiet. "Pity." Joker raised the bar again and was about to bring it down when it was knocked out of his hand by Robin's bird-a-rang. Joker grunted in surprise. "Oh! The Big Bad Bat is here!" Joker surmised gleefully. "Boys!" He snapped his fingers and the hyenas stopped what they were doing and looked up expectantly. "We've got company!"

Joker stepped away from the man on the ground and looked around. "Well, are you coming out to play?" He was met with silence. "That was quite a laugh, Batman. Dare I hope that you've found a sense of humor? Or maybe I'm just rubbing off on you."

Robin threw down a smoke pellet and swooped down, kicking Joker in the face. If he were going to take down the Joker, he would have to do it fast.

Joker reeled back from the blow and laughed. "No fair! We're not playing hide and seek, Batman!"

Robin came up from behind him and kicked him in the back before dropping down and sweeping Joker's feet out from under him.

"Oh, that was not nice," Joker growled in a deep voice. He picked up his crowbar and swung it wildly. Robin, however, was nowhere within range, still covered by the smoke.

Robin took out another bird-a-rang and again hit the crowbar out of Joker's hand. Another bird-a-rang sliced through Joker's sleeve, drawing blood on his upper arm.

Robin laughed. This Joker was a push-over! Piece of ca-

An angry growl broke through the smoke behind him and as Robin turned, a hyena jumped out, tackling him to the ground. Right. He had forgotten about Joker's little friends. The animal barked and snapped as Robin tried to keep it from biting him. Without his costume, he had zero protection. Frantically, Robin kicked the animal and rolled back before tossing it behind him. Jumping to his feet, Robin quickly dodged as the other hyena lunged towards him.

Suddenly, pain erupted in his shoulder, causing Robin to stumble forward and drop to one knee. Gasping, he clutched his shoulder when another blow to the back sent him to the ground.

The smoke was clearing as Robin rolled over with a groan. Joker stood over him, twirling the crowbar with his fingers. "Well what is this?" the deranged clown asked as he pressed a foot down on Robin's chest. Robin clawed at it but the Joker only pushed down harder, making it difficult for Robin to breathe.

Stupid! He had gotten cocky. He hadn't been paying attention to all the threats. He was too used to having someone watch his back. Now he was going to pay for it.

"Well, well, well. It looks like a little boy! You even have a little mask! How adorable!" The Joker threw his head back and laughed before looking down at him again. His eyes narrowed dangerously. "I hate adorable." Robin cried out as Joker twisted his heel into his chest. "But then again, I could have sooooo much fun with you." He pressed down one more time before taking his foot off. Robin clutched his chest and gasped for breath.

He didn't have much a reprieve though. Joker swung the crowbar, hitting the side of Robin's face. Robin cried out, as he head snapped to the side. Groaning, he watched Joker circle him like a wild cat around its prey.

Joker paused and looked at him, as if contemplating what he should do next. There was some sort of inner debate going on behind those deranged eyes. Finally, the Joker shrugged. "Nah." He tossed the crowbar behind him and instead pulled out a gun. "Say good night, Gracie."

Robin took a deep breath, steeling his resolve. If he was going to die, he would do it without any dramatics. No begging for mercy. No tears.

"Oh, that's cute," Joker giggled. "Dying like a man, are we?" He leveled his gun at him.

Suddenly, it flew out of his hand. The Joker grabbed his wrist and looked up, just in time to see Batman fall from the sky. As soon as he landed, the Dark Knight immediately flew into an aggressive assault, beating the Joker back with a flurry of punches and kicks. The Joker just laughed, apparently unaffected by the blows. A knife appeared in his hands and suddenly, he was fighting back.

Clutching his chest, Robin rolled over and heaved a few deep breaths. "Ouch. Oh ouch," he whispered under his breath. From now on, he was never going up against someone like the Joker without some sort of armor. The sounds of the fight dulled in his ears as he struggled to his feet. The world span dangerously and Robin nearly fell back to the ground but managed to stay upright.

Batman and the Joker were engaged in a deadly dance. The Joker had somehow procured a knife, which he slashed with deadly accuracy. Even now, the Joker caught Batman with it- just a little swipe, but enough to get through Batman's costume. The Dark Knight didn't seem faze and grabbed Joker's arm, pulling the clown towards him and then head-butting him. A knee to the stomach sent the Joker to the ground.

The hyenas cackled from behind Batman and jumped into the air, snarling viciously. Batman swung around to face them, but Robin was faster, pulling out his bird-a-rangs and throwing them at the creatures before they could get to him. They fell to the ground with a whimper.

Batman dropped out of a fighting stance and looked at him. Robin could feel him studying him, could feel the contempt radiating off him.

The Joker stirred and, in unison, Batman and Robin tossed a bat-a-rang and a bird-a-rang at him. Both weapons let off a puff of gas, knocking the Joker out. Neither Batman nor Robin broke each other's gaze.

There was an awkward silence as the two heroes stared at each other. Robin was the first to break it. "Thanks," he said, shifting nervously.

"Don't do that again," the older vigilante growled.

Robin stood straighter and intensified he glare. What was he supposed to do? Let the Joker murder those two men?

He didn't have a chance to voice his thoughts because Batman had already disappeared.

* * *

><p>Batman watched silently as Robin collected himself and slowly made his way back to his bike.<p>

The kid was stupid. Admittedly, he was brave, but still stupid. He had recklessly gone in and had taken the Joker on himself. Sure, he had held his own for a while and had saved those two men- more or less. But that wasn't the point. No matter how good he was, no kid could take on the Joker himself. Hell, there were times when Batman barely made it out of a fight with Joker alive.

All in all, the kid could've been killed.

And Batman couldn't understand why his heart tightened at that thought.

* * *

><p>I couldn't help it- I've always wanted to write a scene where Joker smacks Robin around with a crowbar. I should seek some sort of help.<p>

Also, "craters" is a curse I picked up from Buzz Lightyear. It's always the first one that comes to mind. Meh.


	16. A Broken Heart

Robin parked the motorcycle where he had found it. The sounds of the circus pounded in his ears as he made his way through the crowds towards his trailer. He cast a wary glance at a poster of the Flying Graysons as he passed by it.

"Idiot," he muttered to himself as he clutched his shoulder. The idea of going through a whole show with a sore shoulder and back and face and body in general didn't appeal to him. But it was his own darn fault. He had gone up against the Joker by himself. And he was going to have to pay the price for it.

Thank goodness for Batman. If he hadn't showed up, Robin would be dead. He had no doubt about that.

Robin paused mid-step, rubbing his shoulder gently. Batman had saved him. Just like always. But… there was something missing. That was all he had done. He hadn't scolded him or yelled at him. Hadn't threatened to fire him or make him wash and wax the Batmobile for the rest of his life. Nothing. Just had told him not to do that again. Batman had treated him like he would any other citizen he had saved. He wasn't even worthy enough to warrant a self-righteous tirade from the Dark Knight.

It was Batman's way of saying that he didn't belong here- or at the very least that he wasn't a hero here. In four short words, he had basically said 'Go home, little boy. Go back to Mommy and Daddy and stay safe.'

"I guess I'll just have to show him," he said to himself. He would just have to prove he was worth his time and attention. Not that he wanted it. Nope. This bird was flying solo.

But first, before there was any proving himself and all that, he needed a hot shower and a nap.

Robin trudged up the steps to his trailer and pushed the door open. Rubbing the back of his neck, he forced one foot in front of the other, shuffling towards the washroom.

"I don't think so. Front and center!"

Robin straightened and turned to see his family sitting at the table.

Great. Now came the lecture he had wanted so badly.

Dick shrugged apologetically. Robin shot him a dirty look before facing his parents who did not look at all happy.

"Robin."

"Father," Robin replied without emotion.

Dad shut his eyes and turned his head slightly, taking a deep, steadying breath. "Robin, we know what you were doing last night," he said softly.

"Yeah, I figured," Robin mumbled, again glancing over at Dick who looked appropriately sheepish.

"What were you thinking?" Mom cried, jumping out of her seat and throwing her hands in the air. "You could've been hurt! Or killed! Or worse!" Robin just stared at her blankly, which just served to make her more manic. "Do you even care?"

"Mary." Dad put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her from continuing. "Robin, I understand why you're doing this. You told us when you got here that you were different- that everything that had happened to you in your world had changed you. It changed you into Robin. And we love you for who you are. But you have to understand us. We're your parents! And we don't want to lose you." Dad had spoken softly, calmly. Like always. Dad was like a calm port in the storm.

Which was in stark contrast to Mom. She was definitely the storm in this kind of situation. A real firecracker. "You can't go out again. I won't let you!"

Robin clenched his fist. "You're not going to lose me! I know what I'm doing! I've done it for years! Heck, I was Robin longer than I was a Flying Grayson!" he shouted. "And you can't stop me from going out again! Not you, not Dad, not Dick and not Batman!"

"Why? Why do you need to go out? Why did you even stay here with us if all you're going to do is keep living the life you had before?" The words were a slap to the face and it must've shown because Mom gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "Robin, I-"

"Maybe I should just go home then!" Robin snapped before she could apologize as he stormed towards the door. A large hand landed on his shoulder, stopping him. Thankfully it wasn't his sore shoulder. That would only make this whole mess worse.

Dad turned him around and grabbed his arms. Robin glared down at the floor but when Dad remained silent, he eventually found himself looking up to meet his gaze. Mom knelt down beside him and gingerly touched his shoulder. Dick stood back silently, nervously pulling at his fingers.

"Oh, Robin. I didn't mean for it to sound like that," Mom said softly.

There was a long moment of silence. "I guess I just want to have my cake and eat it too," Robin finally said. It was true. He wanted to have it all. He wanted to have his family, he wanted to be a Flying Grayson, but he also wanted to fight crime. He had thought he would be happy just to have his family back, but over the last little while, he had found himself yearning to be a vigilante. He wouldn't, couldn't, be happy with only one.

"But why?" Mom asked, her voice cracking as she tried to hold back tears.

"Because it's who I am," he said, grabbing her hand. "Please. Please just understand that."

"I understand, but… I'll never be okay with you going off, risking your life like that."

"I can't give it up, Mami. I can't!"

Mom hiccupped and wiped a few tear away before grabbing him and hugging him fiercely. Then, without a word, she stood and ran to her room, shutting the door behind her. Robin knew that if he could see through walls, he would find her sobbing into her pillow.

Dad sighed and gave him a weak smile. "You're putting her in a tough spot," he said, managing to sound matter-of-fact without being critical.

Robin nodded soberly. "You understand, don't you, Dad?"

Dad looked conflicted and took a moment to collect himself. When he spoke, his voice was husky and low. "You're my son, Robin. Like your mom, I will never be okay with you being in danger. But I also know that you do know what you're doing. I trust you. And I know you won't take any unnecessary risks while you're out there. I don't like it, but I realize that I can't stop you. I wish I could. But we all have to forge our own path in life. And whatever you decide to do, I will do whatever I can to support you." He pulled Robin into a hug. "I love you."

Robin buried his face into his father's shoulder. "I love you too."

Dad patted his back and then stood, clearing his throat. "I'll go talk to your mother. Why don't you boys go get ready for the show."

"Sure," Dick and Robin said in unison. Dad managed another smile. As he walked past, he gave Dick's shoulder a squeeze before he disappeared into his bedroom.

Dick rocked back and forth on his heels uneasily. "Robin, I'm sorry I told them but I-"

Robin sighed. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have put you in that position."

"So… I guess you have kind of, sort of permission to go out again, huh?"

"I guess," Robin agreed, but couldn't find it in himself to be thrilled. He had paid a high price for the grudging permission.

He had broken his mother's heart.


	17. A New Partnership

"So… you walk into a pole?"

Robin paused halfway through taking off his shirt. "Come again?"

"Your face," Dick said from his place atop their dresser. He was pulling on his green tights nonchalantly, watching Robin out of the corner of his eye. Somehow, on his way home, his brother had managed to get into his fight. And from the looks of it, he had had his butt handed to him. Thankfully, the bruise hadn't been as noticeable while Mom and Dad were lecturing him. But now it stood out starkly against his pale face. Dick also noticed that he was walking a little stiffly but was trying to hide the fact that he was in some sort of pain. Dick didn't miss him wincing when Robin thought he wasn't watching.

"Wha?" Robin tore his shirt off and clutched the sides of their desk, looking into the mirror that hung over it. Touching his face gingerly, he swore under his breath.

Dick clucked and swung off the dresser. Grabbing Robin's shoulders, he pushed him down into the chair. Turning towards the door, he stood up straight, stuck his chin out and snapped his fingers. "Makeup! We need zome makeup over here!"

"Dick-"

"Shush, shush! Do not disturb zee master! Now, dahlink, ve shall transform you to your old beautiful self!" Dick looked into the mirror and cringed. "Zhen again, perhaps zere is room for zome improvement! Zee old you, pah! Zhat is so yesterday!" Dick grabbed a brush and went to work on Robin's face covering up the nasty bruise that had begun to form.

"You're insane," Robin said, grinning broadly.

"Und you are outsane! BWAHHA!" Dick threw his head back and laughed. Robin snorted back a laugh as well. Dick grabbed his chin and held his face still. "No, no laughing. You vill disrupt zee process. Do your best to rupt only." They both tried to keep in their laughter, but could only hold it for a moment before busting into giggles. Finally Dick coughed and cleared his throat, becoming serious. "So, really… how did you get this?" he asked as he brushed a bit more makeup over his brother's face.

Robin's eyes darted around, not willing to meet Dick's. "I was stupid. Careless."

"That how you got these too?" Dick asked, indicating Robin's bruised shoulder and back.

"Yeah." Robin glanced over his shoulder at him. "Can you cover the one on the shoulder too?"

"As soon as I finish with your face," Dick replied. "So you were careless and stupid. How, exactly?" Robin mumbled something. "Sorry, what?"

Robin heaved a sigh. "I took on the Joker by myself."

Dick nearly dropped the brush then used it to whack Robin's head. "What? You idiot!"

"Ouch, hey!"

"Duh, straw! You expect me to be happy with that kind of news?"

"No, but I didn't expect you to beat me to death with a makeup brush! Could you imagine the eternal embarrassment that would follow a death like that?"

"It would serve you right," Dick grunted, going back to work. "So, you obviously got out of it in one piece- more or less."

Robin shrugged sheepishly. "Batman had to come save me," he confessed.

Dick suddenly felt sick. His brother- his stupid, idiotic, heroic, crazy, exasperating brother- had taken on one of the most psychotic maniacs that ever existed. And from the sound of it, if it hadn't been for Batman, he would've been dead. But what about next time? He'd lucked out but Dick knew that Batman couldn't be everywhere at once. One day, Robin's luck would run out, or he would do something stupid and there'd be no one there to save him.

Dick's first instinct was to sing the same song Mom had sung. Tell him that he shouldn't go out again. It was too dangerous. He didn't want to lose him.

But then inspiration struck like lightning. If all Robin needed to be safe was back up, then he would have it. Dick would make sure of it.

"You okay, Dick?"

"I'm going with you," Dick blurted out.

Robin seemed to know exactly what he meant. Instantly he was on his feet, whirling around to face him. "What? No way! It's too dangerous!"

"Too bad! It's too dangerous for you too. But together, we can watch each other's backs." Dick suddenly smirked. "I can be the Robin to your Batman."

"No. It's too dangerous. You don't know how to fight. You'd just get in my way!"

Dick scrunched his nose and folded his arms across his chest. "Yeah and I bet Batman thought the same thing about the little nine year old he was dragging around. But he still took you and now you're… you're a badass!" There was a moment of silence before Dick continued sternly. "I'm not useless. I've got a black belt in karate, I'm an Olympic level athlete who faces death a hundred feet up every other night. I may not be the great Robin, but guess what, once upon a time, you were only Dick Grayson too."

Robin eyed Dick critically, sizing him up. Dick could just see that batbrain whirling behind his brother's blue eyes.

Finally Robin sighed and dropped back into his seat. "Great. That's just great."

Dick raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Two things. One, if mom and dad find out, they're going to have our gizzards for dinner."

"And two?" Dick prompted when Robin didn't continue.

"And two?" Robin grinned and shook his head in amusement. "And two, now I've got to come up with two new names and costumes!"

Dick grinned too and grabbed the makeup brush. "Looks like a job for the newest dynamic duo… Blaze and Glory!"

Robin groaned. "Please go die, right now."

Dick cuffed him upside the head.

* * *

><p>Hope that whole exchange between Dick and Robin sound too girly. I have five sisters- I'm use to sister talk. And since my two brothers are over ten years younger than I am, I'm not so good with the whole brotherly bantering thing. Meh. Just go with it people.<p>

As for the ready presence of makeup, I figure that one, they're performers and two, Roin uses makeup to cover up various scars anyway- I'm sure they'd have one lying around.


	18. Put on a Show

I want y'all to keep in mind that it's basically canon that Dick Grayson can defy gravity. And, also, I've never seen a circus, never mind daring young men on flying trapezes, before in my entire life.

* * *

><p>"Ladies and gentlemen! Children of all ages! We welcome you tonight to the World Famous Haley's Circus!"<p>

The roar of the crowd filled the tent. From behind a curtain, Robin sucked in a sharp breath.

Gotham. His first show in Gotham since coming here. He was going to be sick. He was actually going to lose his lunch right now.

Before the tent had filled, he had checked the rigging three different times but it still didn't do anything to ease his anxiety. He had managed to put all his fear on the backburners of his mind until now. As soon as he had pulled on his green tights, it all came crashing up front.

"Calm, I'm calm," Robin muttered to himself. "Tony Zucco's still in jail so not much chance that he's coming for revenge any time soon. There's no way the Shadows know who I am yet. And I checked the rigging three times. There's no way anything can go wrong!"

"Robin? You okay?" Dick asked.

"Fine. I'm fine. Where's Mom and Dad?"

"They're co-"

"Right here! Are we late?" Dad asked cheerfully as he entered the tent and ruffled Dick's hair. Mom trailed behind him. Robin didn't miss that her eyes were red and puffy. "You boys ready to put on the greatest show Gotham has ever seen?"

"Sure are!" Dick replied cheerfully. Robin managed a weak smile.

"Uh, Dick, why don't you go warm up with your Mom," Dad said, jerking his head to the side.

"Yeah. Sure." Dick cartwheeled away. Mom and Dad shared a quick look before she turned a backflip and joined Dick.

Dad looked down at Robin, hands on his hips. "You okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Robin asked.

"Because we're in Gotham."

Robin shrank away. "I'm fine. I checked the rigging three times."

"And I checked it three times before that. And before I swing out, I'll check it again," Dad replied. Grabbing the back of his head, Dad pulled him close. "Don't worry, Robin. We're not leaving you again."

"Good! Because I've kind of gotten used to having you around!" Robin replied as he hugged him. "I'd forgotten how wise you could be."

Dad laughed. "Well, I don't know about the wise part, but thanks." They broke apart and Dad gently shook his shoulder. "You good to go now?"

"I think I can handle it. Oh, hey did you talk to Mom? Is she-"

"You know what, kiddo, let's just focus on the show right now. We'll talk about Mom later."

Ah. Translation- Mom was still not okay with any of this. Which meant that if Robin really was crazy enough to take Dick on as a partner, they would have to be extra careful not to let their parents find out.

Suddenly, Raya poked her head through the curtain. "Hey, come on guys, you're up!"

"We're coming," Dad answered with a nod. "Come on Dick, Mary." He grabbed Robin's hand. "Son."

The four Flying Graysons stepped out into the big top. From the corner of his eyes, Robin saw Raya sneak Dick a quick kiss on the cheek. Shrouded in darkness, they made their way up to their post and climbed up the rope ladder. As soon as they reached the platform, Pop Haley introduced them. While he did, Dad checked the rigging, as promised.

"And now, put your hands together for the greatest display of acrobatics anyone will ever see! Ladies and gentlemen, The Flying Graysons!" The spotlight poured onto their platform and the crowd roared with applause. "As always, performing their death-defying feats without the safety of a net!"

Dad shucked off his robe and grabbed the trapeze and swung out. Mom let her robe fall too and when the bar came back, she grabbed it. The crowd below simultaneously gasped and cheered as Mom and Dad took turns tossing each other in the air, flying through the air with the greatest of ease- just like in the song, Robin thought with a grin.

"And now, the youngest members of this amazing family!" Pop called to the crowd. "The twins, Robin and Richard!"

The spotlight again fell on them as both peeled off their robes. From the squeals and cheers, Robin could've sworn that somehow the amount of teenage girls in the crowd had doubled. Dick grinned broadly and rolled his eyes. Robin couldn't help but smile too as he grabbed the bar and swung out. Dick was the last one off the platform.

Like always, flying through the air was as easy as breathing. And after the first couple of flips and rolls, all of Robin's worries melted away.

"Ladies and gentlemen! It seems a special guest has sneaked in to view the show with us!" Pop announced a few minutes later. "Looks like Mister Bruce Wayne knows a good show when he sees one!"

At the mention of that name, Robin's head jerked around to catch a glimpse of the man. Unfortunately, he picked the wrong moment to lose his concentration. He was a split second late on stretching his hands out so that Dad could catch him. Dad grunted and awkwardly grabbed onto his elbows before throwing him up. A fresh wave of pain flared up in Robin's shoulder as he soared upwards. Biting back a groan, Robin turned a sloppy spin.

"Robin, what's wrong?" Mom asked as she grabbed his ankles.

"Nothing. Sorry. Distracted," Robin bit out before she tossed him back into the air. Robin met Dick midair. The crowd below gasped in awe as they pulled a complicated manoeuver and sent each other back towards the parent who had thrown him. Mom grabbed his ankles again and they swung through the air, waiting for Dick to join them.

Dick flew over and Mom swung up so Robin could catch his arms. "Ready?" Robin asked his brother.

"Should be asking you that," Dick shot back.

"Here goes!" Robin threw Dick upwards. A moment later, he felt Mom release him into the air as well. Both pulled a quadruple somersault, rolling through the air towards Dad. Dad grabbed hold of Dick's ankles, who then grabbed Robin's arms. Robin went stiff as his shoulder screamed in pain.

"Rob?"

"Fine. Time to go back."

"You are so not fine," Dick muttered, but pitched him in the air anyway. They repeated the same move back to Mom.

"Let's hear it for The Flying Graysons!" Pop's voice echoed from below. "Richard!" Robin threw Dick back towards the platform. Dick twisted and spun and landed with a twirl. "Robin!" Robin landed next to him, though the stunt he pulled getting there was not nearly as showy. "Mary!" Mom touched down gracefully. "And John!" Dad joined them. The four of them held hands, and bowed dramatically as the crowd cheered on.

"What more could you want?" Mom whispered.

Robin remained silent because he knew she didn't want to hear his answer.

* * *

><p>Raya was the first one to meet them after the show. Racing up to them wearing a horrendously bright pink tutu, she threw her arms around Dick. "Oh, you were wonderful!"<p>

Dick grinned like the cat that swallowed the canary. "Thanks!"

Then, probably to keep up a nonchalant appearance, Raya quickly broke away and hugged Robin. "You too. And you as well," she added, nodding towards Mom and Dad.

"Thank-you Raya," Mom said with a smile, winking at Dad. Dad passed the wink on to Robin who passed it on to Dick. Dick turned beet red, while Raya seemed oblivious to the whole exchange.

"Oh! And guess who wants to meet you!" Raya exclaimed. "Bruce Wayne!"

"Bruce?" Robin repeated in surprise.

Raya nodded vigorously, and then disappeared behind the tent flap. She returned a moment later, followed by Bruce Wayne himself. Bruce was smiling broadly as he approached. To anyone else, it looked genuine, but Dick knew it was just a mask- a very painful, annoying mask that Batman loathed.

"Hello there. I'm Bruce Wayne!" he greeted cheerfully, extending his hand.

Mom made no attempt to move, choosing instead to eye him warily. Dad stepped forward and gripped Bruce's hand, giving it a firm shake. "John Grayson. My wife, Mary."

"Hello," Mom said tersely.

"I'm very pleased to meet you," Bruce replied amiably.

"I've heard a lot about you, Mister Wayne," Dad continued.

"Really?" Bruce said, his eyes wandering over to Dick and Robin. Robin knew he was trying to tell which one was which.

"Well, you are one of the richest men on the planet. And your company has used our circus for many charity shows."

"Yes, yes, of course," Bruce said, waving his hand flippantly. "My, my, my, it must be so confusing to have twins. Why, I can't even tell them apart!"

Robin fought the urge to roll his eyes. Acting as dumb as a potato sack helped Bruce keep his billionaire playboy image, but it was the one mask that Robin could not stand. "Let me guess. You're Robin," he nodded towards Robin. He could probably tell from the way he was holding himself that he was injured. "And you're Richard."

"Dick," Dick quickly amended as he shook Bruce's hand.

"Well, I just wanted to say I really enjoyed your show. It was incredible! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I can't imagine doing all that stuff so high up without even a net!"

"Thank-you, Mister Wayne," Mom said stiffly. "We really do appreciate it and we hope you enjoy the rest of the shows here."

Mom had meant to end the conversation, but Bruce wasn't done yet. "There was one part especially that made me really nervous. Right after I was announced, it looked like you were in a bit of trouble, Robin."

"All part of the act, Mister Wayne," Robin said coolly.

"Oh yes, for sure. But really, it must be terrifying up there." He paused before taking on a slightly harder tone. "Knowing that one wrong move could get you killed." It was another warning to give up on going out to fight crime. Robin took a step closer and set his jaw, holding Bruce's eyes with a steely, determined glare.

Dick slipped between Robin and Bruce. "It's not too dangerous. We all work together and take care of each other. Being a part of a team keeps us safe."

"And we would never put our children in danger," Mom said sharply, stepping in front of Robin.

"I didn't mean to imply that you were," Bruce said quickly.

"I like what I do, Mister Wayne," Robin stated firmly. "And I'm not giving up on it anytime soon. Some things are worth the risk. And I figure the world can use all the acrobats it can get."

"Is that a fact?" Bruce regarded him seriously for a moment. "Well, I confess, I'm curious to see just what you're capable of."

Robin blinked in surprise. Was that a challenge? Or permission? Or both?

"Then you'll have to come see another show," Mary interrupted. "Now, it was nice to meet you Mister Wayne, but I have to feed my children and get them into bed."

"Of course. It was so nice to meet you all. And I think I will come to another show."

"Enjoy the circus, Mister Wayne," Dad said, shaking his hand again.

"I will. Good-bye." He turned to leave.

"Be safe, Mister Wayne," Robin said before he could get very far.

Bruce looked over his shoulder at him. "You too."

"And... And tell Alfred to take care of himself too."

Bruce softened and offered Robin a genuine, albeit small, smile. "I will. Thank-you." And with that, he stepped out of the tent.

"Not so scary without the mask," Dad commented. Mom just huffed in reply before turning on her heel and marching out. Dad quickly followed Mom out.

"What mask?" Raya asked.

"Never mind," Dick said quickly. "Come on, I'll buy you a corn dog."

* * *

><p>Oh Dick, you romantic guy you.<p>

Up next, Batman, Superman, Livewire and...

Nah, can't tell you. But it's gonna be outta this world!


	19. Another Portal

There's a lot of dialogue in this chapter, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

* * *

><p>Batman strode through the Hall of Justice towards Livewire's cell. In his hands, he held a black box and a gun-like object. When Superman, who was leaning up against a wall near the cellblock, saw him, he quirked a questioning eyebrow.<p>

"Bucking to join the Ghost Busters?" Superman asked.

"What?" Batman was honestly confused but infused his question with so much contempt that it just sounded like he thought Superman was an idiot.

"The thing you've got there. Looks like something the Ghostbusters would carry around." Batman just glared at him. "Ghostbusters? Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray?" Superman shook his head in disbelief. "Batman, you have got to get a life."

"All I need is a piece of kryptonite," Batman muttered. Superman just rolled his eyes. "This device is going to send Livewire back to where he came from," Batman explained.

"How?" Superman asked curiously.

"Basically the gun will shoot out a beam, break apart Livewire's molecules, and suck him into the box which will generate a portal leading to his dimension. The box will contain the portal to keep anything else from going in or coming out."

"You sure you've never seen Ghostbusters?"

"Shut up."

"How do you know it will send him to the right dimension?" Superman asked.

"When he came here, the Watchtower picked up on the energy signature. Now let's get this over with."

"Sure. But before we do, there's something I need to tell you," Superman said. "Lois and I have been investigating what happened at the park. We talked to some folks who visit the park regularly and there have been a lot of strange things happening there the last six months. We heard about random gusts of snow, little dust devils, stuff like that. Someone even told us that there was a dead tree in their favorite picnic spot that hadn't been there the last time they visited. No one really thought too much about it- at least, not enough to report it. And, check this, a new species of bird was discovered about two weeks ago in Metropolis."

"A new bird species?"

"Yeah. A whole flock- really colorful, like they belong in the tropics. Police think they were smuggled into Metropolis, but it's completely unknown. At least, unknown in this dimension."

Batman pondered the news. "Looks like the incidents have been escalading. Whatever comes next could be even bigger than Livewire."

"And won't that be fun," Superman groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Anything else?"

"No, that's pretty much it. That thing ready to go?"

"Let's send this scumbag home," Batman answered with a nod.

"You know, I was thinking- we should keep him here. He killed a lot of people; he ought to serve time here to make up for it."

"His home dimension is a barren wasteland. Being sent back there is punishment enough. Besides, no good can come from keeping an inter-dimensional intruder."

"Speaking of which, what about the Grayon kid? Is he exempt from that rule? Because the last time I asked, you said you weren't sending him back. Are you sticking to that?" Superman asked. Batman ignored the question and resumed his journey to the cellblock. Superman zipped in front of him and blocked his way. "Should I take that as a 'yes'?"

"You should take it as a 'it's none of your damn business'," Batman shot back, sweeping past him. Superman grabbed his shoulder. Batman tensed but knew there wasn't much he could do to an invulnerable alien. At least not without a chunk of kryptonite. "What?"

"Why aren't you sending him back?"

"I have-"

"I know, I know, you have your reasons. Care to enlighten us simpletons?"

"I'm… curious," Batman confessed flatly. Superman gave him a surprised look. "This Grayson boy isn't just some kid. He's a hero in his home world. More specifically, he's Batman's partner."

Superman's jaw dropped. "Really?" He then narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You expect me to believe that you, any version of you, took on a kid as a partner? You? More importantly, you expect me to believe that you believe that you took on a partner?"

"See why I'm curious?" Batman shrugged out of Superman's grip. "Thing is, I do believe him. He has technology that only I would have access to. And he's been trained. I've seen some of his moves- definitely my style only a little more acrobatic. And he knows his way around Gotham rooftops. The kid's good. He took on the Joker today by himself."

"He what?"

"I had to save him," Batman added quickly. "But I guess that's why he wasn't on his own in his home world. At least not yet. The thing I can't figure out is what is so different about that world's Batman that he would take this kid on."

"Maybe he was lobotomized." Batman sent him a withering glare. "Sorry, but I just can't picture you with a sidekick."

"Neither can I, but-"

"But what?" Superman urged.

Batman sighed. It really was none of Superman's business, but Batman knew he wouldn't just let it go. He would keep pestering him until Batman told him something. "I almost envy the other Batman."

"Come again?"

"I've been thinking about the kid, who is not completely helpless, and having a sidekick. It must be nice to have someone watch your back- not that I need anyone to."

"Of course not."

"What would it be like to have someone who is completely loyal to you and your cause? He's young enough that he can be shaped anyway Batman wanted to shape him. Here he is, in a whole different dimension with his parents, and he still chooses to go out at night and fight crime when he could just sit back and enjoy the spotlight and a nice, easy life. Batman must have-"

"Ah," Superman interrupted. "You're saying that you think it's a good idea to mold a child into a dark, brooding vigilante bent on destroying the criminal element. You know, here I was thinking that maybe that alternate Batman had a heart, but now I think he's more hell bent on vengeance than you are. That alternate Batman destroyed that kid's life!"

"Or gave it purpose," Batman growled. "Now if you're done poking your nose into my business, let's send Livewire home." There was something else Batman hadn't told Superman. It had struck him earlier that maybe, just maybe, the kid loved him. Alternate him. The way he had told him to be safe and for Alfred to take care of himself- it had been earnest and heartfelt if not a little apprehensive. It was like he knew that Batman wasn't his Batman, but there was something pulling them together- a connection that couldn't be ignored. Batman felt it too. It was like the world wasn't right unless Batman had a Robin.

Batman shook the thought out of his head. How ridiculous. Maybe he should just send the kid home and be done with it.

"Well, look who it is," Livewire sneered when Batman and Superman finally arrived at his cell. "Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum."

"Clever," Batman deadpanned. "We're sending you back."

"I figured as much. But I don't think that's a good idea. I mean, what kind of justice would all those poor, dead slobs receive if I didn't stay here to carry out a sentence for their deaths?"

"The justice of knowing that you will never be able to hurt anyone here again," Superman replied.

"And that you're being sent to live out a lonely existence in a barren wasteland," Batman added.

"Aw come on! Have a heart! You don't know what it's like in my world! There's nothing! Little groups of people here and there who are so pathetic that it's not even worth going after them!"

"My heart bleeds for you," Superman drawled.

"Please!"

Batman rolled his eyes. Pathetic. Bringing up his gun, he pointed it at Livewire. "Have a nice trip." And with that, he fired. A beam of light shot out of the gun and hit Livewire, surrounding him. Livewire's body twisted grotesquely as the light swirled around him. Then, he broke apart as the light retreated into the gun. The box shook gently and then fell still.

"That looked… painful," Superman remarked.

"About as painful as a Zeta Beam," Batman assured him. Meaning not at all.

"Well, now that that's taken care of," Superman suddenly said loudly, resting his hands on his hips, "it's only about quarter to nine which is too early for Batman to be prowling the streets of Gotham so-"

"It's never too early."

Superman continued on as if he hadn't heard. "So why don't you come over and watch a movie with me and Lois."

"You are joking," Batman growled skeptically.

"I told you that you need a life. Come on, live a little."

"No."

Superman threw his hands, exasperated. "Okay, okay, fine but-" He suddenly cut himself off, tilting his head to the side.

"What?" Batman asked, recognizing the look as Superman's super-hearing picking up a cry of distress.

"Lois! She's at the park."

"_The_ park?" Superman nodded and moved to leave. Batman grabbed his cape, stopping him for a moment. As much as he hated it when Superman flew him anywhere, he knew that if he didn't catch a ride now, he would arrive too late to be any good. "Take me with you."

Superman nodded and grabbed Batman before dashing off. Batman shut his eyes as they zipped through the air. He hated doing this. Travelling this fast always made him a little queasy- not that he would ever tell Superman or even let it show.

They slowed when they reached the park, hovering in the air. Below, a portal filled the park with an eerie glow. A quick glance told Batman that it wasn't like any normal portal. Instead of being a neat ball of energy, it was spider-webbing out in all directions, fracturing the air like a lightning fork.

Superman swooped down and dropped Batman on the ground, facing the portal.

"Superman!" Lois Lane called, running up to meet them.

Superman grabbed her hands. "Lois, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I was here doing a little more investigating when that just suddenly appeared," she said, gesturing to the portal.

"Has anything emerged from it?" Batman asked.

"Not yet, but-"

A loud piercing screech ripped through the air as a several shadows formed in the light of the portal. A moment later, a pack of large lizard-like creatures emerged from the portal.

"That doesn't look good," Lois said. "Dinosaurs?"

"Too humanoid," Batman said after a quick assessment.

The creatures seemed to notice them and charged. Superman pushed Lois behind him as a creature lunged towards them. "How about we take them down first and analyze later!"

"Works for me," Batman agreed as he pulled out a batarang and threw it. Behind the creatures, the portal flared with light again and more creatures poured out of it. Batman cursed. Why hadn't the portal closed yet?

Batman didn't have time to think about it as he jumped over a creature and swept its legs out from under it. Activating his comm-link, he contacted the rest of the League. They were definitely going to need some help.


	20. Fine Names

Not much happens in this chapter. Dick and Robin are, after all, all the way in Gotham and all the action is happening in Metropolis.

* * *

><p>Contrary to Robin's expectations, the evening was surprisingly pleasant. He had been expecting a lecture or two- a lecture that he admitted he deserved. He had messed up during their performance and it was painfully obvious it was because while out in Gotham that day, he had been hurt. There really was no hiding it anymore- no amount of makeup could cover the swelling of his face or how he held his shoulder just so.<p>

He had seen Mom was ready to fly into another spiel but a few whispered words from Dad made her stop. Dad had then given him an icepack and had told him in no uncertain terms that they _would_ be talking about it. But later. They were all emotionally spent for the day. Any lecture would likely turn into a screaming match and things would be said that no one really meant, but that would hurt all the same.

Dick provided the perfect excuse to ignore the elephant in the room when he came home with just a smudge of lip gloss on his cheek. Dinner was spent teasing him and blatantly avoiding anything to do with crime-fighting. Afterwards, Mom conned them all in to playing a board game which ended in a good natured argument over whether 'shevelled' was actually a word. The opposite of dishevelled, Robin and Dick had argued.

It seemed like Mom was trying to stretch out the evening as long as she possibly could- perhaps out of fear that once they all went to bed, Robin would disappear into the night again. Robin broke the unspoken rule to not talk about his capers by informing his folks that he had no intention of going into the city. He promised. His parents, though a little apprehensive, believed him and soon they were all headed off to bed.

"So, are you really not going out tonight?" Dick asked as he shut the door to their bedroom.

Robin nodded. "I promised, didn't I?" Dick just gave him a sceptical look. "What? I'm perfectly capable of making and keeping a sincere promise- I'm not some sort of pathological liar, you know," Robin argued, feeling offended that Dick would question him. "Besides, the next time I go out, you have to be ready to come with me."

Dick perked up at that. "You're really going to let me be your partner?" Dick asked hopefully. Robin nodded in reply and Dick let out a whoop of excitement, pumping his fist in the air. Robin hid his amused smile and shook his head.

"Shh! You'll wake up the folks. And we don't want them to see what we're doing in here."

Dick looked around, confused. "We're not doing anything."

"Not yet." Robin started rooting around through their desk.

"Whatchya looking for?" Dick asked as swung onto the dresser and watched his brother.

"Paper, pencils, crayons," Robin replied as he pulled the supplies out. "We need a few costume designs. Then, we're going to sneak over to Gilda's trailer and get all the supplies we need to make 'em."

"All right. You thought of any names for us yet?"

Robin laid all the supplies on the floor and Dick hopped off the dresser to join him. "Not yet," Robin confessed.

"How about the Justice Twins?" Dick suggested as he grabbed a pad of paper and started doodling. Robin just arched an incredulous eyebrow. "Okay, okay… how about… The Lone Ranger and Tonto?"

"Taken."

"How about Hood and Knight? Kind of like Robin Hood, Knights of the round table, all that kind of jazz. Or the Blue Falcon and the Shadow?"

"I kind of like Hood," Robin said with a shrug. "Although, then maybe someone would connect it with Robin and from there connect it to me-"

"You're paranoid," Dick said, rolling his eyes.

Robin grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. It's a trait that was ingrained in me from an early age."

"Yeah, I bet. Being Batman's partner would probably do that to a guy. But it must've been fun to be Bruce Wayne's ward. Money, fame, endless parties. I remember Miss Martian saying something about how you were always in the gossip magazines hanging out with actresses and stuff."

Robin blushed at that. "Most of those rags just made stuff up," he mumbled. "Bruce and I would be on a case somewhere and show up at a few party scenes just long enough to get the rumour mill churning. Although I did get to meet a few celebrities at Bruce's charity parties which, let me tell you, were the most boring things in the whole world. I mean, I had to wear a tux and plaster a fake smile on my face for hours and shake hands with just about every rich snob on the planet and pretend to like whichever model Bruce was dating at the moment and- ugh." Robin held his head. "That is definitely one thing I do not miss at all."

"Sounds rough," Dick drawled sarcastically.

"Hey, it's not easy being rich," Robin said. "Although getting the best seat at any game or concert I wanted was pretty awesome. And I always got the latest games and toys before they were even out on the market." Robin shrugged. "Not that I was spoiled or anything. It was all evened out by my Robin chores- I mean, imagine having to clean up bat guano in a cave the size of a few football fields."

"Yikes!"

"Yeah, yikes."

"But you got to hang out with the Justice League too," Dick pointed out. "Cleaning up a few tons of bat guano would totally be worth hanging out with Superman and the rest of the Justice League."

"Yeah, they're pretty cool," Robin agreed nonchalantly. "Superman's kind of like my uncle. Batman doesn't want to admit it, but he and Supes are best friends." Robin suddenly burst into laughter as his mind wandered back home. Aside from Robin and Alfred, Clark was the only one who could tease Batman and live to tell the tale. Although when Batman had finally had enough, the resulting prank wars- which Batman would never actually admit to participating in and if he did, the pranks were disguised as 'training scenarious'- were legendary.

"What?" Dick asked.

Robin choked back a giggle and shook his head. "Nothing, just thinking." Suddenly he perked up. "Hey! That's it!"

"What's it?"

"Our names! I remember Clark once told me a story about this Kryptonian crime fighting team: Nightwing and Flamebird!"

"Clark?" Dick repeated.

"Never mind that, what do you think about the names?" Robin asked eagerly. "I call dibs on Nightwing."

Dick shrugged. "I can live with Flamebird. I guess I'll have to pick some fiery colors for my costume then. What do you think?" Dick held up his drawing.

"You've got a cape," Robin pointed out flatly.

"So?" Dick asked, pulling his drawing back defensively. "You have a cape!"

"Nope. First thing I'm getting rid of," Robin said matter-of-factly. "It just gets in the way."

"Well I like it," Dick said, sticking his tongue out at his brother. "I think I'll give it some jagged edges, like a fire- you know to go with my name."

"Go for it. So I figure we'll cannibalize the Kevlar from my old costume and stitch it into our new ones. There's not enough for both of us to have full protection, so mine will just cover the really vital areas. We'll put most of it into yours-"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Dick muttered.

"I have complete confidence in you," Robin quickly said. "But for the first few months, you'll be more vulnerable until you really get the hang of it. We're not fighting girl scouts here. These guys will kill us if they get the chance."

"Have you ever been almost killed?" Dick asked curiously.

Robin's blue eyes met Dick's and he nodded slightly. "Yeah. A few times," he said seriously. "And it'll probably happen again, for you and for me. You ready for that kind of risk?"

Dick looked away and took a moment to consider it. Then, he looked back at Robin and nodded. "I know I don't have quite the motivation you do- I didn't see Mom and Dad get murdered in front of me- but I'm willing to risk my life to keep you safe out there. I'm willing to risk it to make sure nothing like what happened on your world happens to our folks here. I'm in Robin, and I'm not going to back down because there's danger involved."

"Good. But I'm in charge here. Until I think you're ready, you'll do everything I tell you. That clear?"

"Sure thing, Boss," Dick replied with a little grin.

"Good. And the first thing I'm telling you is that you're getting all the extra armour. I'll be fine with just a chest plate. I'm planning on moving more and getting hit less."

"Good plan," Dick said, rolling his eyes. "So what about gadgets? Do I get a utility belt?"

Robin scrunched his nose. There were definitely not enough gadgets to go around. And eventually, they would run out. Robin didn't have the resources to get more- unless Batman took pity on them which Robin seriously doubted.

Robin could probably do without most of his toys. In fact, he could get by with just his computer and hacking equipment, jump lines and his eskrima sticks. Dick could keep the rest of the goodies until they were depleted. Then they would have to improvise and come up with something else.

"I don't know. You got a utility belt on that design of yours?" Robin asked, peeking over at Dick's drawing.

Dick quickly scribbled one on. "Yup."

"Then I guess you'll need one. Come on, let's go pinch some material and get started on these."


	21. Speed Dial

Oh look, another chapter. Should be heading into the home stretch now... but I tend to detour.

* * *

><p>Batman ignored the throbbing pain in his shoulder where one of the creatures had bitten him. After calling in most of the Justice League, the long battle had finally ended. The Green Lantern had created a glowing green dome over all the defeated lizard-men. A few of the creatures were vainly trying to break out, letting loose unearthly screams as they clawed at the barrier. Blue and red lights flashed around the park as paramedics and police helped the unfortunate civilians who had been caught in the creatures' path. Reporters and camera crew documented the damage on live television.<p>

Batman looked past all that at the very faint yellow glow that pulsed dimly along the fractured lines the portal had created in the air. It had taken a good ten minutes for the portal to close, allowing swarms of creatures to enter their dimension. An outline still lingered, as if waiting to burst open again. Batman already had the Watchtower monitoring it; it was no longer emitting any significant amount of energy. The glow was nothing more than a scar on their dimension, serving as a reminder of what had happened.

"Batman, what's going on?" Lois Lane demanded as she came up behind him. Batman glanced over his shoulder at her, but didn't reply. "Dammit, Bruce!" Lois hissed. "Five people are dead! Eaten alive by those monsters. And let's not get into the deaths cause by Alternate Livewire. You can't pretend there's nothing wrong!"

"I'm not. I just don't know what's causing this yet," Batman replied coldly.

"It's that kid, it has to be," Superman said, joining them. "We've got to send him back."

"What kid?" Lois asked.

Batman ignored Lois' question. Turning to Superman, he folded his arms over his chest and glared the alien down. "And if it's not him? What if there's something else causing this rift and we tear that kid away from his parents and send him back to being an orphan for nothing?"

There was a moment of silence as recognition slowly crossed Superman's features. "That's it, isn't it," Superman said thoughtfully. "You don't care about having a loyal little soldier in your war, you're not curious about what he can do or what would possess Batman to take him on as a partner or any of those things you told me. You see yourself in him and he's found a world where his parents are alive and well and you-"

"I've been thinking," Batman said, cutting him off. "There are thousands of orphans out there- why did Batman choose him? What kind of a kid pledges his life to fighting crime? Yes, I see myself in him. An orphan- probably saw his parents murdered- who is bent on justice, who has devoted his life to fighting crime. But now he's in a world where none of that happened, where he can just be a normal kid with parents who love him. It's everything-"

"Everything you wish you could have so you don't want to take it away from him," Superman finished.

Batman nodded. "I used to dream of having a chance like that- to somehow get my parents back, to give up on my crusade. He's living my dream. The kid's idiot enough to go out and fight crime right now- probably misses it and I don't blame him. But if he stays here long enough he'll give up on it. He'll realize he has a family and that's what's important. He can be happy and normal." Batman jabbed his finger at Superman's chest. "And I'm not going to take that away from him on a hunch that hasn't been proven."

"All right," Superman said, holding his hands up in surrender. "Then let's see what we can do about proving it one way or another. If it's not him, then we need to find a solution to this quick. These occurrences are getting more and more severe. Who knows what will happen next time."

"Are you two going to fill me in on what you were just talking about?" Lois huffed irritably.

"I promise Lane and Kent will have the exclusive scoop. Later," Superman told her with a quick wink.

"Right now, I need to download some information from the Watchtower so we can send those creatures back to where they came from," Batman said. "Superman, get The Flash, Fate, J'onn and whoever else looking into what might be causing the breakdown of reality here. Tell them about Grayson. If it is him, I'll send him home myself."

"On it." Superman gave Lois' arm a quick squeeze before zipping away.

Batman tapped the comm-link in his cowl. "Alfred, did you send the Batwing over?"

"It should be arriving momentarily, sir," Alfred's voice replied.

On cue, the black jet appeared over the tree line and soon touched down next to Batman. Batman nodded to Lois and boarded the jet. "I'll be back."

Everyone tensed as Batman shot out an energy beam at the lizard creatures, expecting another portal to open as soon as they were gone. Green Lantern made a gap in his dome for the beam to enter. The creatures screamed in rage as the beam sucked them in. A moment later, the whole army had disappeared into Batman's contraption. All eyes turned to the faint outline of the old portal, but it only continued to pulse weakly. A collective sigh of relief sounded from the crowd- from superheroes and civilians alike.

"I want this park closed off to the public until we can get this thing under control," Batman said sternly to Superman.

"I've already told the commissioner," Superman replied with a nod. "We'll post someone from the League here too. These last two portals were a week apart, so we have time to figure this out before another portal opens."

"Don't be too sure," Batman said, casting a wary glance at the yellow glow in the air. "Did you send Flash and the others to the Watchtower?"

Superman nodded. "They're working on it. They'll let us know as soon as they figure something out. In the meantime, it's late. Even for a Bat. Why don't you head back to Gotham and get Alfred to take a look at that shoulder."

"It's fine," Batman said absently. "What did you tell the press?"

"Not much," Superman said. "Just that these attacks are results of an inter-dimensional phenomenon that we are investigating. Don't worry I didn't say anything about the boy."

"Will Lois keep quiet?" Superman looked offended but otherwise didn't acknowledge Batman's comment. Batman grunted and with a swish of his cape, started towards the Batwing. "I want to know the moment we find something out."

"Don't worry," Superman said. He smiled and winked at him. "Flash has you on speed dial."


	22. Coming to a Boil

Dick awoke with a yawn. He took a moment to stretch before opening his eyes. He was momentarily confused to find himself on the floor, leaning against Robin, who in turn was propped up against their dresser, still asleep. At their feet, scraps of fabric littered the ground, including pieces from Robin's old uniform. Draped over the back of the desk chair were two uniforms, one brightly colored with red and yellow, the other black and blue. Robin must've finished them after Dick had fallen asleep.

Careful not to disturb his brother, Dick got to his feet and grabbed the bright uniform and held it up. It looked great, though a little ridiculous in his hands- hopefully it would look better once he put it on. Casting a glance at the desk, he found a small red mask. It was simple and didn't have reflective lenses like Robin's but it would do.

He desperately wanted to try it on, but he could already hear the sounds of life emanating from the kitchen. The last thing he needed was for Mom or Dad to walk in to wake them up and find him wearing his new uniform. That would raise a few questions that Dick knew he wouldn't be able to lie his way out of. So, instead, he gathered up the uniforms and bits of fabric and shoved it all into a box, which he then hid under their dresser.

"Oh… ouch," Robin suddenly groaned. Dick looked over to see Robin massaging his back with one hand while wiping the sleep from his eyes with the other. "Never sleeping on the floor again," Robin muttered.

"Sore?"

Robin nodded wearily. Dick offered him a hand up and pulled Robin to his feet. Robin glanced over at the desk. "Hey-"

"I hid 'em already," Dick answered before Robin could ask. "I didn't really look at yours, but mine looks awesome by the way. Thanks for finishing them."

Robin shrugged. "Alfred figured it was a good skill for me to learn. Especially after that phase I went through when I was eleven and wanted to redesign my costume every other day. Pixie boots and scaly underwear just weren't doing it for me anymore."

Dick choked back his surprise. Scaly underwear? Pixie boots? The thought of his serious, badass brother parading around in that kind of thing was unfathomable to Dick. "What?"

"I was nine- I didn't have much fashion sense. Besides, the bright outfit made criminals underestimate me. It was an advantage to look ridiculous."

Dick cast a glance to the bottom of the dresser. So even if his costume looked as ridiculous on him as it did off, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. His skills would soon silence anyone who would laugh at him. "That why you didn't talk me out of the bright colors?"

Robin yawned and stretched. "Uh-huh. Ugh. I am not as young as I used to be."

"Well come on old man, I think breakfast is waiting." Dick slung his arm over Robin's shoulder and led him out of their room and into the kitchen.

"Oh, good, I was just about to wake you up," Mom said pleasantly when she saw them come in.

"You two ready for another show tonight?" Dad asked, glancing up from his morning paper. "Second to last one before we move out of Gotham."

"And not a moment too soon," Mom muttered under her breath.

"We're ready," Dick said with a yawn as he took his place at the table. He prodded at his grapefruit absently. "You ready, Rob?"

"Born ready," Robin replied.

"Don't play with your food, Dick," Mom scolded as she settled into her spot. "So, what were you two up to last night?" she asked casually. "I heard you giggling and talking all the way past midnight."

Beside him, Robin looked up and arched an eyebrow. "You stayed up that long?"

"I was worried you were going to sneak out," Mom confessed. "You didn't, did you?"

Dick felt Robin tense. "I told you I wouldn't," he said tersely. Dick rested his hand on Robin's knee, trying to calm him. If Robin became indignant, it could set Mom off about the whole vigilante thing. And there was no need to start the day off with a fight. Robin's eyes darted over to him and Dick gave him a small smile. Robin let out a slow breath and relaxed slightly.

Across the table, Dad was playing the same trick on Mom. Mom took a breath and smiled. "Sorry. I know you did." She began poking at her grapefruit silently. After a moment, she looked up at Robin hopefully. "I don't suppose I could get you to promise that every night, could I?" Robin's face was blank and he remained silent. Red colored Mom's cheeks and spread to her ears.

Dick winced. A flat out rejection. A blatant lie. An apology. Any of those would've been better than Robin's blank expression, better than his silence. That Bat mask even got under Dick's skin- he could only imagine how infuriating Mom found it right now.

The problem was that both Mom and Robin were insanely stubborn. If Robin were normal, with normal teenage complaints, those two would probably still be butting heads over something. It just so happened that Robin's teenage rebellion was about vigilantism and the gravity of the issue was making them both more obstinate than usual. Mom had every right to be worried about Robin, despite all his skill and experience. Robin had every right to be confident that he could handle to danger. It was like the unstoppable force clashing with the immovable object.

"Anything interesting in the newspaper, Tati?" Dick suddenly asked before Mom could start a fight.

Dad picked his newspaper off the table and passed it to him. "Same old stuff," he said. "See for yourself."

Dick scanned the front page. There had been another attack in Metropolis. Something to do with an inter-dimensional portal. It was being linked to the Livewire incident which turned out to also be the result of an inter-dimensional mishap.

Robin, reading over Dick's shoulder, cursed and took the paper from him. He scanned the paper and flipped through it to another article about the Metropolis attack, swearing again.

"Robin! Language!" Mom admonished. Then she leaned forward. "What is it?" she asked, biting her lip anxiously. Whatever anger she had had before was apparently gone, replaced with worry at Robin's reaction. He didn't lose his cool very often, so whatever he had read about the Metropolis attacks was something big. Something to be concerned about.

"I-" Robin looked up, eyes wide. Then he cast his eyes down. "Nothing I can fix. Even if I wanted to," he mumbled. He grabbed Mom's hand. "Don't worry I'm not going to do anything about it. It's something The Justice League will have to take care of."

"But whatever it is, it's upset you," Dad pointed out. "Why?"

Robin shook his head. "It's probably nothing. I'm probably just being paranoid." He gave them a crooked smile. "Paranoia's my forte, after all."

"He's right about that," Dick piped up. Robin obviously didn't want to talk about whatever was upsetting him.

"I need some fresh air," Robin said quickly, getting up from the table and making a beeline for the door.

"Robin-"

Robin paused in the doorway and heaved a weary sigh. "I'm sorry I'm a pain in the neck, Mami. I love you."

"I love you too," Mom replied.

"I know." And with that, he left.

The remaining Graysons shared a worried glance. "What on earth…" Dad grabbed the paper and looked through it. "It has to do with these Metropolis attacks. Let's see…"

The proverbial light bulb went on over Dick's head. "They were inter-dimensional attacks," he said suddenly. "Maybe… they're from his dimension?"

"Was his dimension overrun with giant lizards?" Dad asked, handing Dick the paper and pointing to a picture of a group of grotesque lizard-like creatures.

Dick shrugged. "I was there for a grand total of three hours. It seemed normal enough… with a few exceptions."

"Someone should go talk to him," Mom said, rubbing her arm as she gazed at the door.

"I'll go," Dick offered. Mom nodded gratefully. Dick scanned the paper one last time before tossing it onto the table. Another headline-something about a jailbreak in Gotham- briefly caught his eye but he didn't pay too much attention to it, though a little voice in the back of his head told him it was important.

Dick found Robin feeding the elephants peanuts. Dick slid up beside him. They just stood there in silence for a few minutes, watching the massive animals happily take their tiny offerings.

"You know I used to spend hours talking to Eleanor when I was a kid?" Robin finally said, breaking the silence. "She always made me feel better."

"Me too. Elephants make the best kind of friends. Second only to brothers… and pretty girls," Dick added with a loped-sided grin. Robin smirked. "So, did you tell Eleanor what upset you just now?"

Robin shook his head. "It's probably nothing," he muttered.

"Probably," Dick echoed. He rocked on his heels for a moment. "Those attacks… did those things originate from your dimension? Is that what upset you."

"Good guess, but no," Robin said. "Unless my dimension got seriously screwed up while I was gone."

"Sooo…."

"Did you read the article? Really read it?" Robin asked.

"I skimmed it before you took it away," Dick replied.

"The attacks took place at the park where we hold the circus in Metropolis."

"Okay," Dick said, not sure where this was going.

"Aside from the attacks by Livewire and the lizard men, which occurred exactly a week apart, there have been reports of other strange occurrences that have taken place over the last six months or so."

"Okaaay…. I'm still not-" Dick cut himself off and snapped his fingers. Portals from other dimensions, circus grounds, six months… "You think they're connected to you!"

"What else could it be? Maybe I started a chain reaction of events. Maybe my being here has caused all this stuff to happen!"

"But how?"

Robin shrugged. "The multi-verse is a fickle thing. It's like a tapestry- delicate, precise, intricately weaved together. It doesn't always like being messed around with. You pull one string and sometimes the whole thing unravels."

"So you think you pulled a string by staying here?" Dick asked.

"I don't know. It could all be a big coincidence. But if it's not…" Robin looked at him, eyes filled with uncertainty and fear. "If it's not, I might have-"

"No! Don't say that! So maybe it is connected to you, big deal. The Justice League will find a way to fix it without you having to leave."

Robin's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Yeah, maybe," he said without conviction.

"Hey! What is this? I didn't know you caped crusaders gave up so easily!" Dick cried. "Come on, Robin! Never say die!"

Robin smiled weakly. "Like I said, I might just be paranoid. It might be nothing- a fluke, a coincidence."

"They happen all the time!" Dick agreed.

"Either way, I guess we should be expecting a visit from Batman."

Dick groaned. "Oh and those are always so pleasant, aren't they."

This time, Robin's smile was broad and genuine. "He's not that-"

"FIRE!" The shout cut Robin off. Both boys whirled around as more shouts filled the air. Smoke rose up at the other end of the circus grounds. Robin and Dick exchanged a look before running off towards it.

Several tents and booths were on fire when they arrived. The circus folks were trying desperately to put it. Out of the crowd, Raya appeared and ran up to Dick, holding onto him fearfully.

"Raya, what happened?" Dick asked, grabbing her shoulders and pushing her back slightly so he could meet her eyes.

"I-I don't know. The fire just broke out a few minutes ago and spread so quickly. No one knows how it started. The fire department's on its way but-"

"But this thing is spreading too fast," Robin finished. "Is there anyone in any of the tents?"

Raya shook her head and coughed. "No. We already got them out. Come on, there's a water line over here." Raya grabbed Dick's hand and led him to where others were filling buckets and bringing out hoses to fight the fire. Robin followed hot on their heels and they all quickly joined the efforts to beat back the flames.

"Wish I had my belt," Robin muttered from beside Dick.

"Go get it," Dick hissed.

"No time. By the time I got back, it wouldn't make much of a difference."

At just that moment, sirens wailed through the air and red flashing lights swept across the area. "And here comes the cavalry," Dick sighed in relief.

"Pretty good time for Gotham," Robin said, sounding surprised.

"Our lucky day," Dick said.

"Oh thank goodness!" Raya exclaimed in relief.

Soon, firemen flooded the scene, pushing the civilians aside as they brought out the hoses and went to work on the fire. As the flames died away, Dick caught Robin intently studying the wreckage.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Do you see that?" Robin asked.

Dick cocked his head to the side, trying to follow Robin's gaze. "See what?"

"Someone started this fire on purpose," Robin said.

"How do you know?" Dick asked.

"Who would do that?" Raya asked at the same time.

Robin's eyes grew wide and he started looking around frantically. "Mom and Dad aren't here."

"What! You think your parents-" Raya started.

"No! But they're not here! They would've been the first ones out to help. This was... this was a distraction." Robin sucked in a sharp breath and suddenly turned and dashed off.

Dick's heart slammed against his chest as a feeling of dread washed over him. Robin was panicked. Robin never panicked. Ever! Not good! Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Dick took off after Robin, going as fast as his legs could carry him. He arrived at their trailer mere seconds after Robin. Robin raced up the steps and threw the door open before stopping cold. Dick ran up behind him and also came to a dead stop.

The main room was a mess. The table and chairs had been turned over, a lamp lay shattered on the ground along with the breakfast dishes. But that was not what filled both boys with dread.

A small puddle of red was on the ground. And in the same red, one word was scrawled on the wall: Choose.

* * *

><p>Looks like someone is making good on Artemis' promise...<p> 


	23. A Place to Start

So I just found out about Justice League Doom and my sister and I had an epic conversation about if there was a plan in place for if Batman ever flipped his lid and had to be taken out. It would have to be pretty epic because I'm sure Batman would plan for any actions they could take against him.

But we finally decided that it wasn't necessary because Batman is too crazy to go crazy.

Anyway, on with the show. Though there are still a few chapters left, we're coming into the final scenes of this drama. Dun dun dun!

* * *

><p>The call came sooner than Batman expected. Now he was at the Watchtower, scanning the computer readout over The Flash's shoulder.<p>

"Do you know how many different dimensions there are in the multiverse?" Flash said in awe. "Billions and billions and billions. Every little choice every person who has ever lived has ever made can create a new reality!"

"I'm already aware of that, Barry," Batman said impatiently. "What did you find out about our inter-dimensional problems?"

Flash swiveled his seat so he could face Batman. "Imagine the multiverse as a tapestry made of millions of strings. On each string there could be hundreds of different dimensions," Flash explained, his hands moving along animatedly with his words. "I analyzed all the portals involved in this case, including all the ones that opened at Haley's circus six months ago. And here's my theory of what happened based on the facts and everything you told me about that night: this Grayson kid's original dimension is on one end of the string, ours is on the opposite. The portal he used to get here had to go through all the dimensions in between. When he didn't go back with the Justice League, it kind of created a vacuum. Every dimension along the string is being sucked towards ours."

"So if we send him back, it'll reverse the pull and right everything?" Batman asked.

Flash waved his hand in the air. "Theoretically. The problem is our dimension's not the only one being affected. I'm not sure what kind of damage is being done to the string as a whole and there's no telling if sending him back will fix all the problems in the other dimensions. They might be irreparable by now. And that could be affecting the rest of the multiverse tapestry. But I'm sure it'll at least fix the problems here."

Batman looked at the data grimly and nodded. "Then we'll send him back. Tonight. I'll let him know now. That way he can spend the rest of the day saying good-bye to his family."

* * *

><p>"Is that-"<p>

Robin crouched down and swiped his finger through the puddle on the floor. He held it up and rubbed it between his fingers. "Blood," he said grimly. "It's on the wall too."

"Whose?" Dick asked, though they both knew it really didn't matter. There was no doubt that it belonged to one of their parents. "Who would do this?"

"Shadows," Robin hissed, looking at the blood on his fingers before balling his hand into a fist. He hadn't expected Artemis to make good on her threat so quickly. But, then again, it wasn't everyday a scrawny kid from another dimension took out two shadows while hardly breaking a sweat. He was obviously up there on the priority list.

"Shadows?"

"The League of Assassins," Robin clarified.

"Okay. What do they want with Mom and Dad? And what is 'choose' supposed to mean?" Robin didn't answer, keeping his expression neutral. "Damn it! Don't do that! Tell me what's going on!"

Robin let out a slow breath. "Remember when I went to go see Artemis?" Dick nodded. "Well, it didn't go quite as I had planned. I kind of implied that I was from another dimension. And she threatened that she would make it so I would have no choice but to join the Shadows. Obviously, they're using Mom and Dad as incentive."

Dick looked stunned. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?" he demanded. "We could've prepared. Or called the cops. Or Batman! Or someone!"

Again, Robin didn't answer. There wasn't much he could say. He hadn't told them out of pure selfishness. He could say it was because he hadn't wanted to worry them, but really, he just had not wanted to give Mom another reason to resent his vigilantism. He had thought he could handle the threat without anyone being the wiser. He'd been sadly mistaken.

Dick seemed to read his thoughts with one look and pressed his lips into a thin line, glaring at him. It was the first time Robin had seen him truly angry and all that anger was aimed at him. It made him sick to his stomach. Without a word, Dick marched past him and into their room. He emerged a few moments later, dressed in his new uniform. He tossed Robin's at him.

"You can't go," Robin stated seriously as he caught his uniform.

"Like hell I can't! They were my parents first in case you forgot and I'm not standing by while their lives are at stake because of you!"

They were words said in anger, frustration and worry. Robin knew that Dick would regret them later. But that didn't make them sting any less. Especially since they were true. This was entirely his fault. He had tried to make this dimension like his own, never considering that it was just too different, and it had backfired. He had tried to have everything- home, family, fame and the thrill of being a hero- but instead he was going to end up losing it all. His family was in danger because he couldn't let go of his former life.

Robin shook the thoughts out of his head. He needed to stay focussed. Emotions couldn't play a role in this, because if he let them blind him, he would be useless- much like he had been when Margali had captured his father when he had first arrived.

"You haven't been trained yet," Robin said evenly.

"I can hold my own. We've already been through this- I'm not helpless. Besides, you don't have much of a choice. If you leave, I'm following you."

Robin narrowed his eyes and sized him up. It was risky, but Dick was right- he wasn't helpless. In fact, he was in a better position than Robin had been when he had first started even with all of Batman's training.

"Fine."

"Good."

"Don't touch anything," Robin ordered as he disappeared into his room and slipped into his new uniform. When he came back, he scanned the room carefully, looking for any clues the kidnappers had left behind. He didn't really expect to find anything. The Shadows were too good to leave any traces. But then again, they wanted him to find them, didn't they? How else could he join them?

A small sprinkling of a white, dust-like substance caught his attention. Robin knelt down and brushed it with his fingers, getting some on his gloves. "Analyze," he said, activating the sensors in the glove's finger pads. His computer held a small database of known chemicals and other substances. If this stuff matched anything in it, Robin would get a result within seconds.

A holoscreen opened up over his gloves, showing a picture of the substance's molecular structure. "Atrazine," Robin said as the name flashed under the diagram.

"Atra- what?"

"Atrazine. It's a basic component of plant killers."

"Well that doesn't belong here. Do you think those Shadows tracked it in?" Dick asked. Robin nodded. "So what does that mean?"

"It means I know where to start looking for Mom and Dad. There's a chemical plant in the industrial district that produces this. That's our first stop."

"Hopefully our only," Dick said.

As Robin turned to leave, he saw Raya coming up the steps to the trailer. She stopped in the doorway, eyes wide with fear and confusion. "What- what… What happened?"

"Someone took Mom and Dad," Dick explained, pushing past Robin to guide Raya out of the trailer.

"What? Why?"

Dick glared at Robin contemptuously, and Robin expected a cutting remark. But instead, Dick took a deep breath and relaxed slightly. "Long story. But we're going to save them."

"You're… is that why you're dressed like that?" Raya grasped Dick's wrists in her slender hands. "You can't! It could be dangerous."

"He can handle it," Robin said, resting his hand on Dick's shoulder. "And we're not going to waste time arguing over it. Let's go."

Robin took off to hijack a ride. Dick lingered for a moment, talking to Raya quickly before following after him. Robin hopped onto Andre's motorcycle which he had stolen the day before.

"Hold tight," Robin said when Dick climbed on behind him. Then, he revved the engine and tore off towards the city.


	24. The Flying Graysons Unite

The motorcycle ripped through the city at speeds that not even a Gotham cop could overlook if they had passed any. Robin spent the whole ride giving Dick instructions. He hoped that his verbal training would keep Dick from getting hurt. Worry and dread settled into his stomach the closer they got to the industrial district. He was crazy if he thought that Dick was up to this. The League of Assassins was made up of just that- assassins. They didn't play fair- they did whatever they needed to accomplish their goal. And if that meant killing Dick, of his parents or even him, they would.

The industrial district of Gotham was a black spot in an already dark city. Newer structures were surrounded by menacing fences and barbed wire while the older, rundown buildings seemed protected by creepy, evil auras. The plants and factories were as close together as possible, with worn warehouses peppered in between, creating a labyrinth of dark alleys filled with unmarked waste that the plants had illegally dumped. Grown men feared these streets, even during daylight hours.

Dick brought the bike to a halt in an alleyway a few blocks from the chemical plant. He hoped that it was where it was in his dimension- otherwise he would have to waste precious time researching its location.

"You ready?" Robin asked.

"Born ready," Dick nodded, echoing Robin's earlier statement.

"We'll go by rooftops. Your grappling gun should-"

Dick cut him off by firing a line. "Got it, thanks," he said curtly as he was pulled into the air.

Robin shot off his own line. He briefly entertained the thought of putting the line in his glove somehow, but quickly 'exitained' the thought from his mind.

He landed on the roof seconds after Dick and together they ran across to the other end. Without waiting for instruction, Dick leapt into the air and somersaulted, landing with a roll on the next roof. Without losing any momentum, he got to his feet running. He continued from rooftop to rooftop with grace and speed, using his grappling hook without hesitation whenever the gaps were too wide as if roof hopping was as natural as breathing. Robin followed suit.

He could tell that Dick was trying to show off- trying to prove himself capable. But there was no place for those kinds of antics now. They could get him killed. But Robin was reluctant to chastise him. Dick was already resentful towards him for what had happened to their folks- Robin didn't want to risk exacerbating those feelings which could potentially make Dick do something more foolish.

"Hold it," Robin hissed when they arrived on the rooftop adjacent to the plant. Dick came to a stop and looked back at him expectantly. Robin came up beside him and rested his foot on the edge of the roof. Leaning forward, he took a moment to study the chemical plant. It was newer, protected by a high wall and wire. Within the facility, there were several storage towers. Pipes ran along the ground, leading to the main building which was a few stories high. Being a Saturday morning though, the place was deserted.

"When we find them you need to stay back," Robin instructed. Dick was about to protest, but Robin quickly continued. "You're the ace up my sleeve and we need to keep the element of surprise on our side if we're going to get out of this."

Dick nodded. "I understand." There was a moment of silence. "We may not come out of this, huh?"

"There's always that risk," Robin replied.

"Well, I'm willing to risk it for them." Dick made eye contact with Robin. "And for you. Look, about what I said back there-"

"Don't worry about it," Robin said, waving the apology off.

"No, listen. I was out of line. I was angry- I still am. But you're my brother and I know you're just as worried about Mom and Dad as I am. I shouldn't have said what I did. I'm sorry."

Robin managed a small smile and squeezed Dick's shoulder. "Thanks." They shared a smile before Robin nodded to the building. "Okay, this is it. Stay focussed, Flamebird. Don't let your emotions get in the way and don't hesitate to use your utility belt. You remember where everything is?"

"Everything's where you said it would be," Dick nodded. "Let's go, Nightwing." In unison, they shot off their lines, and hopped from storage tower to storage tower until they arrived at the main building. "How do we get in?" Dick asked. "There are no windows or anything."

"We go in through the front door," Robin said, pointing down to the front entrance. They both dropped down to the landing.

Dick tugged on the door handle and grunted, trying to open it. "Locked up for the weekend. Now what? Bust it open with some explosives?"

"Don't be crude," Robin tsked. He motioned to the security box beside the door. "Observe." He pulled out a few wires from his glove and hooked them into the box. A holoscreen appeared above the glove, a series of different combinations flashing on it in tandem with the security box. A moment later, there was a soft ping and the numbers on the box flashed green. The door clicked and Robin nonchalantly pulled it open. He bowed slightly and gestured for Dick to go in.

The door opened into a hall, with offices on either side. Robin figured the actually processing center would not be just beyond them.

Dick was about to step forward, but Robin held his arm out in front of him, catching him before he got too far. "Let's just see if there's anyone here before we tear this place upside down."

"How?"

Robin looked around until he spotted a panel on the wall. Prying it off, he found a bunch of wires and after a quick examination, he chose the ones that he figured led into the security cameras and linked it up with his glove computer. His holoscreen came on, displaying all the images captured by the building's security. "Let's see…" Robin mumbled to himself as he jumped from camera to camera. "There are two out at the moment, in the processing center. And a series of them went out in succession about half an hour ago."

"You think the Shadows turned them off when they broke in?"

"More than likely," Robin nodded in agreement. "Let me just…" He tapped rapidly on his keyboard. An angry red face appeared on the screen, shaking irritably until it stopped and turned green with a smile. Instantly, the two cameras that were off came to life, feeding Robin images of the processing center. "Bingo!"

The image was grainy, but Robin could make out six different people. Mom and Dad were seated in the middle of the floor, their backs facing each other. From the angle, Robin couldn't tell if they were awake, or even alive. Artemis was sitting on a barrel, playing with an arrow. Sportsmaster was leaned up against the wall. The other two looked like Cheshire and Spider, who looked like they were sparring each other out of boredom.

"Hey, isn't that Artemis?" Dick asked. "And that man, he was at the mall too. How did they-"

"Must've broken out of jail," Robin said sourly. "Unfortunately that happens a lot in Gotham."

"Are Mom and Dad okay?"

"I don't know," Robin replied truthfully. "But I do know that we need to get them out and we can't afford to panic or worry about what state they're in right now."

"That's cold," Dick said bitterly.

"Focus. I'll go in first and see what the game is. You slip in while they're distracted and stay in the shadows. I'll try and lure them away from Mom and Dad and when I do, you go down and get them out, got it?"

"Got it."

Robin unhooked his glove from the wiring and took off down the hall. The two boys raced up a flight of stairs and through more office space before a sign directed them to the chemical treatment center. A heavy door, with a sign informing all unauthorized personnel to stay out was at the end of the last hall. Quickly, Robin broke hacked the security codes and slipped in, leaving Dick to wait on the other side.

A set of metal stairs wound their way down to the factory floor. Numerous vats and storage containers littered the area. Robin would have to be careful not to crack any of them open. The chemicals they contained were lethal at this concentration.

He was half tempted to go in fighting, but that would just increase the risk of Mom and Dad getting hurt. It was better to go in peacefully and try and talk their way to freedom.

Robin jumped onto the railing and leapt off. He did a series of flips onto a storage tank, then onto the edge of a vat before finally coming to a neat twirl on the ground in the middle of the room. Immediately, Artemis was on her feet, arrow knocked in her bow. Sportsmaster had pulled out a bat and Cheshire and Spider stopped sparring, turning to face him. Robin held his hands up in surrender, though his body tensed, ready to leap into action should they provoke him.

"I got your message," he said flatly.

Cheshire suddenly clapped slowly. "Well, I am impressed! Although I wasn't quite expecting you to be so short! Love the outfit though."

"How did you find us?" Sportsmaster growled.

"I would say that I followed your body odour, but I think you already know how. You didn't leave that clue by accident," Robin replied tersely. "And there are only so many places in Gotham where you can find Atrazine."

"That's true. I told you he was good," Artemis said.

"Well he did take both of you out," Cheshire said airily. She put her hands behind her back and paced, studying Robin intently. Robin ignored her and instead turned his attention to his folks. Mom was awake, staring at him fearfully, trying to talk through the gag in her mouth. There was a nasty looking cut on her hair line, surrounded by ugly purple bruises. Blood still leaked from it, sliding down the side of her face. Behind her, Dad was slumped over and Robin could see his side was soaked with blood.

"All right, I'm here. Now let them go," Robin demanded, motioning to his parents.

"Tut, tut, tut, not so fast," Cheshire purred. "You know, you really shouldn't become a crime fighter if you're already so famous. It didn't take us long to figure out who you were and how to get to you. Family is such a weakness, isn't it?"

"I told you I wouldn't give you a choice, but Cheshire talked me out of it," Artemis said. "But the choice she came up with is pretty much a no-brainer. If you join us, we'll let them go. If not… well, you're a smart boy, you figure it out." Artemis shot off an arrow which landed in the ground beside Mom. Mom flinched, shutting her eyes tightly. Then, realizing she was still alive, she looked from the arrow to Robin and shook her head vehemently, her blue eyes pleading with him not to let them take him.

"Why me?" Robin asked. "I'm just some kid. I'm a no one!"

"A no one who took out two shadows in less than ten minutes, found out where we had taken your parents in less than an hour, who might be from another dimension and whose equipment is very similar to a certain Dark Knight's," Cheshire said, ticking the points off on her fingers. "Don't look too surprised. We found a shard of your little disc at the mall and analyzed it. Needless to say, our master was very curious."

"Maybe I should tell you this is a limited time offer," Sportsmaster spat. "Make your decision quick because, honestly, I would like nothing more than to gut you like a fish for what did to me."

"In that case, I don't really have much of a choice, do I?" Robin said. Mom let out a muffled cry but Robin ignored her. "I'll have to join you. Now let them go."

"Oh, someone will find them eventually," Artemis said. "The plant opens back up on Monday. Although, I have to say, I don't think your old man will hold out that long. And mommy looks like she has a bad concussion."

"But then again," Cheshire continued with a shrug, "maybe your brother will find them. Did you bring him along? Maybe we should get him to join us too- if he's as good as you are."

"Keep him out of this," Robin hissed. "You've got what you wanted- I'm coming with you. Now you're going to leave my family alone and once we're gone, you're going to let me call the police to come pick them up."

Cheshire cocked her head to the side and Robin was sure she was smirking behind her mask. Artemis certainly looked amused. "Fine, fine. Have it your way. We'll leave your brother alone too. But hey, look at the bright side, now The Flying Graysons can go back to being a trio. Funny how there was only one kid in the act until recently."

"Well, like you said," Robin growled, "I might not be from around these parts."

"Don't worry, we're going to get along just fine," Artemis said with a vicious smile.

Suddenly, a metal disc slammed into the ground at Artemis' feet. It beeped twice and Robin leapt backwards before it exploded. The force threw Artemis back through the air. She tumbled to the ground but quickly back-flipped back onto her feet and pulled out her bow.

Robin cursed under his breath. Dick was supposed to wait until they were gone so he could free Mom and Dad. Robin could hold his own against the four outside until Dick could join him. But it was too late for that now. Instantly, Robin snapped into fighting mode, taking out his eskrima sticks. He flung one at Sportsmaster and it smashed into the villain's facemask before bouncing back to him.

Dick appeared out of the shadows and leapt into the air. He swiped his arm through the air, letting loose an arsenal of smoke pellets.

Cheshire broke through the smoke and charged at Robin, dagger in hand. Robin crossed his eskrima sticks above his chest, stopping the dagger from slashing him. Then he kicked Cheshire's stomach, sending her stumbling backwards. Robin launched into a series of quick blows. Cheshire blocked most, but Robin managed to send her dagger flying through the air. The two locked themselves into a deadly dance of punches and kicks. A roundhouse kick to the face sent Cheshire reeling. Robin was about to knock her out with a blow to the head when, suddenly, a sticky substance encased his hands and he felt himself being pulled into the air.

Spider had shot him with his webs and, as Robin sailed towards him, the villain pulled out a blade, ready to skewer him. Robin flipped in the air, changing his trajectory and came up over Spider. He slammed his feet into the back of Spider's neck, sending him to the ground. Robin rolled onto the ground and frantically tried to free his hands from the sticky mess of web. Spider recovered from Robin's unexpected attack and charged him. Robin fended him off with a series of kicks, his hands still useless. Spider jumped up and twisted in the air, before kicking him viciously in the face. Robin stumbled to the side and Spider kneed him in the stomach before head-butting him. Robin fell onto his rear but managed to swipe Spider's feet out from under him.

Something whizzed through the air and caught Spider in the shoulder. Behind him, Dick emerged through the smoke and crashed into Spider. Grabbing the back of his head, Dick smashed the villain's face into the ground repeatedly until Spider went limp. Instantly, Dick was up and trying to pull the webbing off Robin's hands.

"Did you get Mom and Dad?" Robin asked frantically.

"Not yet. I knew I had to help you. I think I might have taken out Artemis but I'm not sure. She might just be dazed." Dick finally pulled out a bird-a-rang and sliced through the webbing.

"Get Mom and Dad to safety. Now," Robin ordered, jumping to his feet.

"On it." Dick disappeared into the smoke.

Suddenly, Robin's shoulder exploded with pain. He cried out, stumbling forward. Turning around, he found Sportsmaster behind him, baseball bat raised in the air. Robin kicked him in the jaw and followed that up with a punch to the gut. Sportsmaster grunted and swung the bat at Robin's head. Robin dropped to the floor and swept Sportsmaster's feet out from under him.

An arrow embedded itself into the ground beside him and Robin looked over his shoulder to see Artemis there, another arrow knocked and ready to fire. "You are good," she sneered. "But this time we're ready for you."

Robin panted heavily as he swiveled to face her, taking out his fighting sticks. His eyes darted over his shoulders to see Sportsmaster regaining his senses and rising up.

"Go ahead, try it, Arty. You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn!"

Artemis growled and let off a shot. Robin sprang into the air, letting the arrow pass him harmlessly. Sportsmaster, however, wasn't so lucky and the arrow drove into his shoulder.

"I can't believe you fell for that!" Robin laughed. "You really are pathetic, you know that? No wonder you chose to be evil in this universe! They're the only ones who would take you!"

Artemis roared in anger and let loose another arrow. The arrow split in two in midair and both projectiles flew towards Robin. Robin twisted and flipped to the side but one of the arrows grazed his side. Robin hissed and covered the wound with one hand while chucking one of his fighting sticks at Artemis with the other. It hit Artemis in the gut and she doubled over. Robin gripped his other stick and was about to throw it when Cheshire's voice cut him off.

Through the dissipating smoke, Robin saw Cheshire standing behind Dick, a dagger to his throat. Dick winced, his arm wrenched savagely behind his back.

"All right, enough of this," Cheshire growled. "It looks like our siblings have a lot to learn, huh? For instance, shooting Dad is not a good idea. And when trying to free your parents, you should always watch your back." Cheshire jerked Dick's arm back further. Dick let out a strangled cry and stood on the tips of his toes. "Drop your weapons, or I'll slit his throat right now." The eskrima sticks clattered on the ground. "Hands up where I can see them, pretty boy."

Robin slowly raised his hands. "Let him go."

"Oh see, it's too late for that now. You've run out of chances. Artemis, would you do the honors?" Cheshire said, nodding towards Robin.

"With pleasure," Artemis said as she pulled back another arrow. She was about to fire when she suddenly stumbled forward. The arrow went wild, hitting the ceiling. Artemis whirled around and was met with a foot in the face and then another in the stomach. He grunted and fell backwards. All the air left her body when an elbow came crashing down into her stomach. A kick to the face made her go limp.

Mom pushed her hair out of her face and turned to Cheshire. "Looks like you have a lot to learn too! For instance, never, ever threaten my sons! And never underestimate an angry mother!"

Robin and Dick's eyes widened at the same moment. Robin quickly got over his shock and grabbed his sticks. "Let him go," Robin repeated in a dangerous voice.

"Seems to me that I still have the advantage," the assassin said as she pushed the dagger against Dick's neck.

She was right. Robin couldn't stop her from killing Dick if she wanted. "What do you want?"

"Right now I would love to kill you, but to do that, I would have to let go of my hostage. And if I killed him, both of you would attack." She paused and looked between Robin and Mom. "Though I could probably take you."

"Doubt it," Robin growled, gripping his fighting sticks tighter.

"So we're at a standstill until the others rouse themselves. Which shouldn't be too long. And then you'll be in trouble."

"Unless we stop you first." A hand grabbed Cheshire's and pulled the knife away from Dick's throat. Dad was beside her, her hand his vice-like grip. He twisted her hand back painfully and the knife clattered to the ground. Cheshire's surprise was long enough for Dick to bring his head back into her face. She loosened her grip enough for Dick to break free and whirl around, landing a roundhouse kick to the side of her head. Robin tossed his sticks at her and they hit her back. Dick punched the back of her neck and she crumpled to the floor.

Dad let out a puff of air and dropped to his knees, clutching his side. Mom gasped and ran to his side, pressing her hand over his as blood leaked through. "John! John you idiot, what do you think you were doing?"

Dad gave her a crooked smile. "Saving the day?"

Together, Mom and Dick lowered Dad to the ground. Mom cradled his head in her lap and Dick took over putting pressure on the wound. Robin joined them as soon as he had cuffed the villains. Kneeling down by Dad, he gently pried Dick's hands away and inspected the wound.

"Keep pressure on it, Dick," he whispered, guiding Dick's hands back. "You're going to be all right," he told Dad. Dad gave him and weak smile and grabbed his hand.

"It's kind of exciting being a superhero," Dad said, his voice breathy and full of pain. "And we make a good team. The Flying Graysons- it could be the next biggest superhero team since the Justice League."

The other members of the family let out a shaky laugh. "Let's just stick to the big top," Robin said.

"That's a good plan," a dark voice said. The hair on the back of Robin's neck stood on end and he tensed, fearing the worse. He caught a flash of black from the corner of his eye. Batman suddenly appeared in their midst, looming over them. "There's an ambulance on its way." He pointed at Robin. "Once your father is all taken care of, we need to talk."


	25. The Hardest Thing, The End

Robin, Dick and Batman stood back in the shadows as the police stormed the plant. Dick shifted from foot to foot, as if he wanted to break out and be at Mom and Dad's side, but Robin kept his hand firmly planted on his shoulder, keeping him in place. They couldn't be seen in their costumes. It would raise too many questions and draw too much attention to them. As far as the world was concerned, the Flying Graysons were just amazing trapeze artists, not superheroes.

As soon as Dad and Mom had been loaded into an ambulance, Batman led the boys to an alley where two cars were parked. Dick's eyes grew wide when he saw the first.

"Is that _the_ Batmobile?"

"Looks like one," Robin confirmed with a nod. "Though, I gotta say, Batman, the one in my dimension is a lot sleeker." He puffed out his chest proudly. "But then again, I helped design it!" Batman just grunted at that.

"Are we going to ride in it?" Dick asked excitedly.

"He is," Batman replied, jerking his thumb to Robin. "You're going in that." Batman pointed to the other car- a Rolls Royce. Dick's eyebrow shot up. The driver's door opened and an older man stepped out of the car. Dick cast a questioning look to Robin.

"That's Alfred," Robin explained. "He's…"

"The Bat Butler?" Dick asked incredulously. Robin just shrugged a shoulder with half a grin.

"I believe you will find civilian clothes that will fit you in the back seat. You may change into them on the way to the hospital," Alfred said pleasantly.

Dick hesitated. "What about you?" he asked Robin.

"I'll be right behind you. Don't worry. Just go make sure the folks are okay."

"Okay. See you there then," Dick said, still sounding a little wary. Alfred opened the back door and Dick climbed in. Robin watched him pull away.

Batman shifted uncomfortably beside him. "It's about the portals, isn't it," Robin said mechanically. Of course it was. Why else would Batman want to talk to him so soon after the attack in Metropolis?

"Yes. How-"

"I was trained by the world's greatest detective. I read about it in the paper and put two and two together. You think I'm somehow responsible."

"Data from the watchtower supports the theory," Batman confirmed. "Your presence here in this universe is responsible. We need to send you back."

Robin felt his heart break and crumble. "When?" he asked quietly.

"As soon as possible."

Robin nodded soberly. It was probably why he had sent Dick on ahead. He had no intention of brining Robin back to see his parents. He wouldn't even get to say good-bye. "Let's get it over with then."

"I'll take you to say good-bye."

Robin nearly jumped in surprise. "Really?"

"Of course," Batman said, almost sounding appalled that Robin would think otherwise.

"I just thought-"

"They're your parents," Batman said softly. "We all should be so lucky to have the chance to say good-bye." Batman paused. "I wish it could be different, I really do," he said and Robin believed him. Because no matter what dimension he was in, he and Batman would always share that connection the mutual pain of suddenly and unfairly losing their parents at such a young age. "I thought I would prepare you though, so you could say good-bye properly and have time to think about what you would say."

Robin felt tears sting his eyes. "But how do you say good-bye for forever? I lost them once and now… I'll never see them again."

Batman awkwardly reached out and squeezed his shoulder. With a little cough, the Dark Knight swept past him and slipped into the Batmobile. Robin joined him and spent the whole ride thinking of what he could possibly say.

* * *

><p>Mom and Dick were sitting next to Dad's bedside. Mom held Dad's hand and stroked his dark locks tenderly as he slept. Dick fidgeted with the buttons of his new jacket, glancing over at the door every three seconds. Robin watched them silently before taking a deep breath and slipping in through the window, still dressed in his costume. Dick looked up and sighed in relief.<p>

"You're here."

"I'm here," Robin confirmed. Mom got up and moved to hug him. Robin flinched and backed away.

He had been thinking that maybe he would tell them he was leaving because he wanted to. That he wanted to be a vigilante more than he wanted a family. That he loved the Batman more than he loved them. That he wasn't sorry for what happened to Dad because those were the risks that came with the job and if they couldn't handle it, he was better off without them. He would say terrible things and make them hate him so that it wouldn't be as painful. So that it would seem like a good idea that he was going back to his own world. He would tell Mom that that's what she had wanted the whole time anyway and blame her for driving him to it. That way, after the initial hurt faded away, they would be glad to be rid of him.

But the look of hurt in Mom's eyes at his simple action wiped that plan completely from his mind. He couldn't go through with it because it would shatter them. He wouldn't be able to stand hurting them so deeply, no matter the long-term benefits.

Perhaps it was selfishness. He wanted to take as much of their love as he could back with him. He wanted to know that somewhere, his parents loved him and missed him.

Tears spilled down from under his mask as he threw himself at his mother and hugged her tightly, burying his face into her shoulder. Mom kissed the top of his head and held him tightly.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Robin sobbed. "It was my fault. I provoked them and they were coming after me and you all got caught in the middle and I dragged Dick into this and-"

"Shhh," Mom whispered as she ran her fingers through his hair. "It's okay, Robin."

"No it's not; there's more," Robin wept bitterly.

"Whatever it is, we'll work through it," Mom said softly. "I need to apologize too, Robin. Maybe if I hadn't been so dead set against you being a vigilante, you would've told us about what was going on. We could've found a way to stop it together or-"

"No, please. It was all my fault, I know that. I was selfish and I thought I could have it all. But I can't," he said miserably. "I'm not allowed to."

"What are you talking about, Robin?" Mom asked.

Robin choked back a sob. "I have to go. I'm destroying this world. I can't stay."

Dick gasped, already knowing what he meant. "What? No!"

"What do you mean, you're destroying this world?" Mom asked desperately.

Robin sniffled and broke out of her embrace. He wiped his nose on his sleeve and took a few deep breaths. "I'm not supposed to be in this dimension," he explained. "My presence here is causing other dimensions to merge with this one. If I don't leave, the entire multiverse could unravel."

"There must be some other way," Mom said, almost pleading with him to tell her there was.

Robin shook his head. "No, there isn't."

Mom made a little noise of disbelief. "But… I… I don't know what to say." She dropped into her chair, looking dazed. "You're leaving? Forever?"

"Batman is letting me say good-bye and then I'll go to the Watchtower and be transported home," Robin explained.

"No!" Mom shouted, jumping back up from her seat. "I won't let him do that. I'll… I'll use bat repellent if I have to! There must be another way!"

"There isn't!" Robin shouted, anger bubbling inside him. Why couldn't she just accept that? Why did she have to make this so hard? "This is bigger than us! This is bigger than what we want! The whole world is at stake! Sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the greater good!"

"Hey, hey, what's going on?" a groggy voice asked. Dad groaned as he slowly pushed himself up on his elbow. "There's enough shouting going on here to wake the dead. Or at least the mildly injured."

"Mildly injured?" Mom repeated skeptically, momentarily distracted from the news she had just received.

"Dad." Robin gingerly hugged him. "I'm sorry. This was my fault."

"Occupational hazard," Dad said with a lopsided smile.

"My occupational hazard, not yours. You should never have been brought into this."

"Is that what you two were arguing about?" Dad asked.

"No," Robin said glumly, pulling back and shrinking into himself.

"Dad… Robin has to leave," Dick said solemnly. "He… he has to go back to his own world."

Dad's eyes widened. "What? Why? Ah!" Dad gasped and grabbed his side after trying to reach out to him.

"Because if I don't, it's going to cause problems in this world. Those inter-dimensional attacks in Metropolis were caused because of my presence here. It's… complicated. But I have to leave." Robin wrapped his arms around himself, suddenly feeling cold and empty. Dad looked like someone had just kicked him which made Robin feel even more miserable. "This was never meant to be. I was never meant to be happy."

Dad sighed and shook his head. "Robin, do you remember when you first came here and you had a choice of whether you would stay or not? Do you remember what we told you?"

"This isn't like last time!" Robin snapped angrily, sweeping his hand out. "I don't have a choice this time!"

"There's always a choice, Robin," Dad said evenly. "You may not be able to change the facts, you may not be able to stay, but you have a choice."

"And what choice is that?" Robin asked bitterly.

"You have a choice to be happy. That's your choice, Robin," Dad said emphatically. "You think I don't want to tell the universe to take its problems and shove off? I do. I don't want you to leave. But life is full of things we can't control," he said, somehow managing to not sound bitter. "The only thing we can control is ourselves and our attitudes.

"I know for a fact that there are people in your old world that love you. There are people there that will take those pieces of your broken heart and help you glue them back together. There are so many things that you are capable of doing if you don't let bitterness paralyze you. And whatever else, you will always, always have parents here who love you and want what's best for you. Never forget that. We love you," Dad said so sincerely that it pricked Robin's heart and filled him with warmth. "I want you to be happy, even if we can't be together as a family. Even though it will hurt. And if there's a way for you to come back, we'll be waiting. And if there's not, we will never forget you and never stop loving you."

Robin mind went reeling as it tried to process what Dad had just said. "How did you get so wise?" he finally asked.

"It's not wisdom, Robin. It's love. And I'm filled to the brim with it."

Fresh tears streaked down Robin's face as he hugged his father tightly. He could feel Dad tense ever so slightly from pain, but Dad didn't as much as grunt as he hugged him back.

"Oh Robin," Mom cried as she joined them. Dick threw his arms around them too, completing the family hug.

Robin didn't want to leave the embrace. He wanted to stay cocooned in this ring of warmth and love forever. But he couldn't. But Dad was right- there were people who would love him, who would help him piece his broken heart back together. He could build himself a family in his old world that wouldn't take away from the family here, just add to it. Add to the group of people who loved him. He could choose to be happy despite all the pain of separation.

"I'll try. I'll try to be happy," Robin whispered. "But it'll be so hard."

"I know. Don't close your heart to the good things in life and it'll get easier," Dad said into his hair.

"I'll miss you all so much."

From the window, Batman cleared his throat, causing the whole family to look up at him. He practically squirmed under their gazes. "Robin…"

Robin sniffled and untangled himself from his family, taking a step back. "This is it then… I don't know what to say. Goodbye seems so final. I love you so inadequate. I feel like all this hasn't been enough."

Tenderly, Mom wrapped him in a final hug and kissed his forehead. "Be safe, my little robin. I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you too. Dad…" He looked over Mom's shoulder at Dad who nodded, his eyes saying more than his words ever could. Stepping away from Mom, he faced his brother. "Dick…"

Dick let out a strangled cry and grabbed him, embracing him with all his might. "You're my best friend, Robin. I don't know what I'm going to do without you. I don't know if my heart will ever be whole without you here."

"I know. Mine too."

Dick deflated and slowly let go of him. "Good luck… that sounds so lame…"

"No, it's okay, it's good… it's… it's time for me to good," Robin said quietly. Then, like ripping off a band aid, Robin suddenly turned and escaped through the window.

* * *

><p>"Ready?" Batman asked.<p>

"No," Robin replied. "But I'll never be." He nodded towards The Flash. "Beam me up, Scotty."

The Flash hit a few keystrokes on the computer and a moment later, a portal opened up by Robin. He took a deep breath and stepped towards it but stopped before he actually entered and looked over his shoulder at Batman. "Will you keep an eye on them for me? Make sure they're safe?"

"I promise," Batman acknowledged with a nod.

"Good… And… you know, it wouldn't hurt to get yourself a sidekick. It did wonders for my Batman." Robin could only grin as Batman frowned and shifted awkwardly. "Maybe we'll meet again?"

"Maybe. Now go."

"Right." Robin stared at the glowing portal in front of him. "Right." And then, summoning all the courage he could, Robin stepped into the portal that would take him back to Mount Justice. Back to his old home and old family. Back to a new set of adventures and challenges. But he could face them, he could handle it. Because there were people throughout the multiverse that loved him.

What more could he ask for?

The End

* * *

><p>No word of a lie, this was the hardest thing I have ever had to write because I really just didn't want Robin to have to say good-bye. I think my heart is broken.<p>

Anyway, thanks to everyone who has read and to all those who have reviewed. I hope you enjoyed my humble efforts to entertain and touch your hearts.

Tuttle

Oh! And in case you're worried... there is a sequel planned.


End file.
